


Leave the Bottle

by Toguro



Category: Alice Nine, Kaya (Musician), the GazettE
Genre: Alternate Universe - Genie/Djinn, Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Cheating, Fluff and Angst, Genie Uruha, Intercrural Sex, Love Triangles, M/M, Magic, Pining, Slice of Life, Smut, Supernatural Elements, Waiter Ruki, duh - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2019-07-08 15:08:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 111,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15932939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toguro/pseuds/Toguro
Summary: The clang of diner plates and yells of patrons filled the days of Ruki, a waiter struggling to make ends meet on the tips he receives. Rent is due and his fridge has been empty for a few days. After a particularly busy day, the waiter stumbles across a weird looking bottle. Who knew that the contents inside would change his life?Afterall, life should be easy with a genie, right?





	1. The Bottle

“I need a steak, medium rare and a side of broiled mushrooms and cream corn.”

A short blonde man shouted to the kitchen staff, hanging a piece of paper on the wall. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and walked over to the soda machine to fill a glass for the customer he was waiting on. The glass was brimming with ice and cola, he hoped he didn’t fill it too much and end up spilling it. 

“Ruki.” 

The blonde turned his head to find the source of the voice. The waiting staff was sparse, so the few that were there frantically ran past each other to make sure all the customers were taken care of and not bump into each other. It was warm and humid by the kitchen. Ruki found sweat uncomfortably settled under his arms and at the small of his back. His waiter uniform was made from unbreathable and heavy material.

“Hey, Ruki!”

The blonde turned to find a brunette chef motioning towards him. His brunette hair was cut shoulder length and he flashed a smile to the waiter that produced a dimple on one side of his face. He held a plate in his one hand, waiting for the blonde to come forward.

“It’s the beef and peppers platter for the party of two. I’ll have the cheese and scallops ready in a minute. The cheddar is almost melted.” 

“Thanks Kai.” Ruki nodded and grabbed the plate. He went to the side of the kitchen where they set the cleaned dishes. He grabbed a serving tray and placed his plate on it. He walked past Kai and collected his second dish now that it was complete. He paced past the soda machine and placed the drink on the tray as well.

He balanced all the food on his tray as he weaved through chairs and tables. He held the tray over his head to avoid hitting anyone with it. He walked to a table with a single man sitting at it. Ruki placed the drink gently down.

“Here’s your drink sir. I’ll be back with your meal in a few moments.” He spoke politely and smiled at the customer. After all, his wages depended on his tips. He continued through the sea of tables to the couple he was waiting on. A man and woman celebrating some promotion for one of them. He greeted them in his friendly voice and placed both their meals in front of them.

“Can I get you two anything else?”

“Yes. May we have some wine? Red wine, please?” The man asked.

“Certainly.” He bowed and walked off. He headed back to the kitchen. His day continued like this for another eight hours. He ran back and forth to keep his customers happy. Once they were done and left, he jumped at the tips on the table. He calculated in his head and hoped he had enough to pay for this months rent.

He had ten minutes left on his shift and all his customers were done and left. He didn’t want to wait on another table and risk getting home late. His feet ached and he begged for a bath. He walked through the kitchen to the back room where the staff kept their purses, coats, and other personal belongings. 

He was too warm to put on his jacket, so he opted to hang it over his arm. It was the middle of autumn, and he hoped the lower temperatures would cool him off. He sighed as he walked through the kitchen again. He waved goodbye to everyone. He patted Kai on the shoulders to let him know he was leaving. 

Him and the brunette were close friends. Kai was the one who helped Ruki the most when he started here three years ago. He was patient as the blonde tried to keep his orders straight. He flashed his dimple at the blonde and nodded. He continued his stirring of the pot of stew for the party of five that just walked in.

Ruki turned to exit the heated kitchen and walked through the door that led to the back alley. As he reached for the knob, the door swung open, hitting him in the face. He closed his eyes and tumbled backwards. He maintained his balance, and didn't fall to the floor.

“Shit! Sorry!” A friendly voice spoke and Ruki felt a hand grasp around his wrist to keep him steady and on both feet. He opened his eyes and found Shou holding onto him, frowning at the incident.

He waved his hand, letting his fellow waiter know he could let go of him. “I’m fine.” 

Shou smiled and released his grasp. Ruki found that smile somewhat adorable. The brunette waiter’s eyes focused on the blonde. Ruki tried not to blush under the gaze.

“You done for the day?” Shou’s voice was cheerful yet mature when he spoke to the blonde.

“Yeah. Gonna head home.” Ruki nodded as he stepped past the taller man towards the door.

“Do you want to get drinks after I’m done with my shift. I only have another hour. I had fun the last time.” The way Shou smiled at him made his heart race.

“Sorry, can’t. I didn’t budget for that this week.” Ruki pathetically smiled and bowed. He saw Shou falter in his own cheerfulness.

“Okay. No problem. Maybe some other time.”

With that Ruki closed the door behind him. He sighed in frustration. Normally people would be elated when their crushes asked them out for drinks. But he just couldn’t afford it right now. He rested his back against the wall as he dug in his coat pockets for his cigarettes. He found them and lit one.

He breathed in and exhaled a puff of smoke, allowing the nicotine to sooth his racing mind. Work today was stressful to say the least. He kept trying to pick up shifts to make more. Not only did he have rent to worry about, but he was completely out of food. He needed to stop at the store and pick up more ramen.

He stubbed his cigarette against the wall and flicked it down the alleyway. As he placed his pack back into his coat pocket, a five dollar bill fell out and blew across the ground. Ruki wished he had enough pride to not go chasing it down the alley. But he really needed that to purchase his food. He scrambled against the dirt to catch the pesky bill blowing away.

He fell to his knees and snatched his money. However, under his hand he felt something odd. He found what he thought was a rock, but it was smooth to the touch, almost like porcelain. It was an ivory color. Ruki never saw a rock like that before. It fascinated him so he thought he’d pick it up. Except it didn’t budge. In fact, it looked like it must be buried by the dirt. The blonde clawed at the dirt surrounding the rock. He figured if he could pull it free, it’d make a nice knick-knack for his otherwise bare apartment.

After a few moments, the shape of the object revealed it was no ordinary rock. Actually, the more Ruki dug, the more the object resembled a bottle. He managed to break the item free from it’s underground prison. He held it in his hands and studied the object. It was a ceramic sake bottle. It was vase-shaped with a cork at the top. A thin rope was wrapped around the neck of the bottle. The writing on the side of the bottle was hard to understand under the layers of dirt. Ruki assumed it was the brand name for the alcoholic beverage.

Overall, it was an interesting find. Ruki decided that he’d take it home and clean it. It would look nice in his living room or maybe even his small kitchen. He couldn’t decide which. He hummed to himself and stuffed the item in his jacket and walked further down the alley, heading towards his apartment.

He eventually arrived at his destination. A three story-high brick building. It was squeezed in between two other buildings with hardly any room beside it. The alleyways weren’t large enough, even a bicycle might get stuck between them. 

The blonde entered the tight landing before trekking up the creaking wooden stairs to his room on the top floor. Once he was inside he set his jacket and the bottle down on the kitchen table. The living room and kitchen were connected, no border to distinguish one room from the other. The walls were all brick. But it was cracked and chipped in numerous places, ruining the rustic look he believed the designers of the room were going for. Off to the side was a small hallway with two doors on both side. One led to his bathroom and the other to his bedroom. 

He’s lived here since he moved to the city. It was the only place he could afford, and three years later he was even struggling with that. He sighed as he emptied the contents of his pockets. He organized the loose bills from his tips today and placed them in two envelopes. One was marked “rent” while the other one read “food.” He was a little ashamed at how he had to divide his money in order to live. But he managed this far with the system.

After he hung his coat up beside the door and kicked his shoes off, his eyes fell to the bottle on his table. It was interesting to find such a bizarre thing in the alleyway. He picked it up to try and read the wording on the bottle. It was an intricate character that he didn’t remember seeing all that much. He shrugged and stepped over to the sink. He held it under the tap, watching the dirt slide off of it and circle down the drain.

Now that it was clean, it was easier to read it. Ruki studied it. He thought it said, “Uruha” but he wasn’t too certain. He thought that was an odd thing to write on a bottle of sake. As he shook the bottle around, he felt there was a bit of weight to it. He wondered if it still contained any alcohol. His curiosity getting the better of him, he removed the cork to look inside.

But once the cork was removed, purple smoke shot out of the opening. Ruki coughed and gasped at the oddity. His entire vision became a swirl of purples and golds. He dropped the bottle into the sink. The smoke continued to fill his room and he moved his hands in front of him to swat it out of his eyes. He struggled to keep his eyes open, forcing himself to find some visibility.

The smoke slowly dissipated and Ruki could’ve sworn he saw a strange figure standing before him. He tried to walk towards a window to let the smoke out, but instead he ran into something and fell to his floor. Except, whatever he ran into produced a grunt as he hit it. 

Ruki laid on the floor coughing for air. The smoke that remained settled against his floor, allowing him to see above himself. He opened his eyes and saw a blonde man in purple standing over him. He gasped in fear and crawled backwards slightly. He saw the man look surprised too. He was looking all around the apartment, his mouth left agape and his eyes bouncing rapidly at his surroundings. Once they settled on Ruki, the blonde man smiled at him.

Ruki held his head in his hands as he tried to study his surroundings. The smoke was all but gone, save for a few strands hanging around the stranger. Ruki looked at the man’s bizarre outfit. He wore a long, opened purple vest with a matching shirt underneath. It was adorned with peacock feathers along the neckline. He wore tight purple shorts with pant legs attached to garters, revealing his thighs but covering just above his knees. The ends of his pant legs also had feathers attached to it. The entire outfit looked like purple pleather and it shined in the light. The stranger’s blonde hair was styled so his bangs cupped the sides of his face, drawing attention to his eyes and jawline. His lips were plush and curved into a friendly smile. 

Ruki looked between the man and the bottle he discarded in the sink. He had no idea why this oddly-dressed man was standing in his apartment. He didn't look threatening, but the waiter wasn’t about to let his guard down. He knew the man must have had something to do with the strange smokescreen that erupted out of the bottle. He closed his eyes and sighed. He felt the stress headache from work return in full force at the situation he found himself in.

“Fuck me.” He mumbled in pain as he held his head.

Within seconds, the thin man had crawled to the floor and hovered over the waiter. Ruki panicked, he had no idea how this man moved this fast, or what he was doing. The stranger pressed his knee between Ruki’s legs and planted his one hand firmly on the floor beside the blonde’s hips. He brought his free hand up to cup the shorter man’s cheek. 

Ruki was about to voice out his concern, until he felt a set of plush, warm lips on his. They sensually glided over his with ease. He felt the stranger’s hand move down his face and over his chest. He shivered when he felt the other’s tongue slip out and slid over his bottom lip. Adrenaline rushed to his head and he forcibly pushed the man off of him. 

The stranger tumbled over, his graceful movements ceased as he fell onto his back with a yelp. Ruki wiped at his lips and shifted to kneel on the ground.

“What the Hell was that?!” He barked at the stranger.

“Your wish is my command.” The stranger whimpered as he tried to steady himself to sit up.

“Wish? What are you on about?”

“You...um..told me to fuck you so…” The blonde stranger blushed and scratched the back of his head. Ruki straightened up and blushed as well. 

“It’s just an expression. I wasn’t being literal.” The waiter huffed.

“Oh.” The stranger chewed on his lips and looked at the floor. He was still blushing, uneasiness apparent in his body language.

“How did you get into my apartment? What are you?” Ruki stood up and crossed his arms. He was determined to figure out what was happening despite his head ache.

“Oh right!” The stranger shifted onto his knees and placed his head and hands on the floor. His face was buried against the wooden floor as he bowed towards the blonde. Ruki shifted, confused by the man’s actions.

“Thank you for freeing me master. Your wish is my command.” He spoke in a smooth voice.

“Master?! What kind of sick role-playing are you into?” Ruki scoffed.

“Role-playing?” The stranger lifted his head up and tilted his head at the blonde inquisitively. 

“Nevermind. Who are you?”

“I am your servant.”

Ruki cringed at the response. He did not expect that. Just the way the man worded it made him feel uneasy.

“No. I mean what’s your name?”

“Oh. Uruha.” The blonde nodded his head excitedly. He smiled as he spoke.

“That’s what was written on the bottle. Why did it spit out purple smoke when I opened it?” 

“You broke the seal and freed me. Now I serve you, master.”

“Stop saying that! I’m not into that kind of stuff.” Ruki blushed and walked to the sink, picking the bottle out of the sink. It weighed virtually nothing now, like it was empty. “Please, call me Ruki.”

“Master Ruki.”

“Just Ruki. No master. Okay?”

The stranger chewed his bottom lip and shifted uneasily on his knees. He seemed hesitant in agreeing with Ruki’s suggestion.

“And you don’t have to keep kneeling. You can stand up.” The waiter smiled at his uninvited guest.

“Yes mas- I mean Ruki.” He moved and stood on his lanky legs. He stood a whole head taller than the waiter. 

“So, I freed you from this bottle?” Uruha nodded at the smaller man. “Does that make you some kind of genie or something? Is that what was with the smoke?”

“Yes. Whoever breaks the seal and releases me becomes my new master.” Uruha sounded robotic in his reply. Almost like he was reciting something from memory.

“Okay. I did not expect this today.” Ruki chuckled and moved to sit on the couch in his living room. He continued to hold the ceramic bottle in his hand. Uruha slowly followed the man, but made no move to sit.

“So if you’re a genie, why a sake bottle? Don’t you usually live in those golden oil lamps like in Aladdin?” The blonde smirked as he rubbed his fingers over the bottle.

“Oh, well I like sake.” Uruha smiled shyly. He still stood up, shifting from side to side on his feet.

“So, you’re a genie? You can only grant me three wishes right? And then you pop back into this bottle until someone else rubs it?” The waiter relaxed against the couch. He laid his head against the soft back.

“Well, not exactly…”

“You can sit down if you don’t want to stand. Feel free to make yourself comfortable.” The waiter patted the couch, signalling the tall man to relax. Uruha smiled brightly and jumped down onto the couch. He bounced a few times, laughing at the excitement. It was a childlike enjoyment.

“Thank you.” He beamed.

“Anyway. Sorry to interrupt you. What were you saying?”

“Oh right.” Uruha snapped out of his fun and returned to the question. “There are no limits to how many wishes I can grant. You can have more than three wishes...unless you wish for only three wishes.”

“But wouldn’t that mean I only had two wishes left?”

“Yes.” Uruha nodded. His hair bounced on his head.

Ruki leaned over to the man. He reached out one of his fingers and started poking the man in the side. Uruha giggled as he hit a particularly ticklish spot.

“You’re solid.” Ruki hummed. “How would you get back into your bottle.”

“Oh! I can do magic and shapeshift!” Uruha excitedly stood up and a puff of purple and gold smoke covered his appearance. Ruki covered his face to prevent any from stinging his eyes. The smoke quickly dissolved and a doppelganger of Ruki was standing before him.

The blonde shrieked and scooted to the arm of the couch. It was surprising to see yourself standing beside you. Ruki stood up and walked closer to his clone, inspecting it. 

“Pretty neat, huh?!” The hyper voice that escaped the mirror image of him was unmistakably Uruha’s. He held his arms out as the real Ruki studied every minute detail. The accuracy was phenomenal. He managed to get all the imperfections Ruki hated about himself spot on. The mark under his eye and chin that he tried to hide with makeup; all of it.

“Remarkable. Apart from the voice you could fool anyone!” 

“Oh I can fix that.” Uruha coughed and then continued, his voice matching the smaller blonde’s. “Hi, I’m Ruki. I’m cynical and sarcastic. I like to pick up old sake bottles.” 

“Ha. Ha. How did you know I was sarcastic and cynical?”

“I could tell.” Uruha was enveloped by another puff of smoke. It dissipated and revealed the genie back to his normal self. “But I made the part up about the bottle.” 

“You seem to have a lot of energy for someone who was trapped in a bottle for….however long it was.”

“I got soooo much sleep. Now I’m ready to roll!” Uruha raised his arm up in the air. 

“Well, I need to take a shower first. And then make something to eat. I am the exact opposite of you right now.” Ruki weakly laughed as he ran his hand through his sweat-soaked hair.

“You could wish to be clean! I can use my magic on you.” 

“No it’s fine. I enjoy showering. You can walk around and familiarize yourself with the apartment. Since you’re gonna be living here and all.”

“I thought I would sleep in my bottle. Until you called on me, that is. I don’t want to take up space.”

“Nonsense. You’ll have to sleep on the couch if that’s okay. I only have a twin sized bed, and no spare room.” Ruki paused on his way to the bathroom to look back at his guest. Uruha stood, eyes wide. 

“I….that’s okay with me.” His lips twisted into a grateful grin. Ruki nodded and continued towards the bathroom. He left the blonde genie standing by himself between the kitchen and living room. The genie felt a giddiness in his heart. He was free to walk around. The very notion of that was baffling. Most people only wanted their wishes and that was it. His new master was so kind.

Uruha walked around the kitchen. He ran his hand over the smooth marble of the countertops and marveled at the coziness of the apartment. It was a tad small, but not as small as his bottle. He paced into the living room. The wooden floor creaked under his feet in some areas. The noise amused him. He’d lift his foot and shift all his weight to the spot on the floor just to hear the creak. He continued this for ten minutes. He hopped around the floor to try and find more noisy floorboards. 

Once he reached the hallway he looked down it. He saw two doors on opposite sides of each other. He strolled down, not hearing any noise from the floor and stood outside them. The door to his left had a light shining from under it and he heard a noise from behind it. It sounded like rain. He thought he heard humming on the other side too. The door to his right was quiet and so he ignored it. 

The rain noise stopped same with the humming. This disappointed Uruha, he was fond of the beautiful sounds. He turned the knob to investigate why it stopped. Once the door was opened, warm steam rushed past him. He found his short blonde master standing in front of him. He was hovering over the sink and looking at his own reflection in the mirror. 

Ruki’s head snapped towards the door as he heard it open. He was stunned when he saw Uruha standing in the doorway. The genie’s face was nonchalant as he looked around. Though once his eyes landed on the waiter, his face grew red as he noticed Ruki wasn’t wearing anything. He was standing completely naked. Uruha forcibly pried his eyes away and looked at the floor.

Ruki quickly grabbed a towel to cover his exposed nether regions. Once he managed to wrap himself, he figured Uruha probably saw everything already. His face was burning red and he turned his back towards the genie.

“Can I get some privacy please?” He tried to keep his voice level and not shout at his guest, despite his embarrassment.

“Oh, um….sorry.” Uruha yelped and closed the door behind him. His heart was racing and he leaned his back against the door. He tried to shake the image out of his head. He should not have done that to his master. It is completely rude to walk in on someone without an invitation. He berated himself as he walked to the living room and plopped onto the couch. 

He didn’t jump on the couch or tried to make the floor squeak. He patiently waited for his master to punish him. He folded his hands in his laps and sagged his shoulders. His head hung low as he lamented over his actions. Sometimes he acted so childish, he never thought about the consequences. He heard the bathroom door open and immediately tensed up. His master was on his way. He waited for the anger to be directed at him.  

Ruki walked down the hall into the living room. He had a towel set on top his head to dry his newly washed hair. He changed into grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt. He halted when he saw the genie sitting on his couch. The mystical being looked completely terrified. He didn’t know why. It was embarrassing yeah, but he had no reason to be scared. 

“Hey.” Ruki casually called to the man. He saw Uruha jump at his voice and keep his head down. He saw the tall man’s legs tremble as he spoke. Ruki realized he was afraid of him. Was he afraid that he was mad at him? 

“Well, now when you shapeshift as me, you have an even more accurate basis to go off of.” Ruki chuckled, trying to diffuse the situation with humor. Uruha’s head shot up to look at the short blonde. His eyes were wide as they landed on Ruki. He found his master smiling, and laughing. This brought a wave of relaxation over the genie. He laughed and sighed. He managed to lean against the couch and ease the tension in his limbs. Ruki stepped forward and moved to sit beside his newfound roommate.

“But next time, just knock before entering.” He chuckled again, hiding the red on his cheeks.

Uruha nodded as a response. He couldn’t help but smile. He found himself in a new, and strange place. Yet his master had treated him with nothing but kindness. Sure he freaked out when he first appeared, but that’s only natural. He adapted to the idea pretty quickly for a human. Uruha was grateful such a kind man was his new master. He looked forward to their time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks! As you can tell, I started another story. Now when I started writing this, I wanted it to take place in Japan. But since they don't tip is restaurants, that ruined a major point in this story. So I used US currency and now it's set in an ambiguous place with a mixture of American and Japanese elements. I hope you can look past this and still enjoy it. And as always, thanks for reading! ^_^


	2. The Restaurant

Uruha sat on the couch, he was playing a game on Ruki’s cellphone while the blonde was getting ready to leave for work. He showed the genie Candy Crush, and now the mystical being was addicted to it. He tapped away while Ruki ran to his room to find his brush.

The past few days have been uneventful. After the first night, Ruki treated Uruha like a friend or a roommate rather than an all powerful being who can make all his wishes come true. Instead, Ruki opted to continue his daily routines with no help from magic. He still saved his money and divided it up. He also continued his diet of instant noodles. Uruha excitedly offered to make him any meal he wished for. But the blonde waiter remained stubborn as he continued to slurp the slimy ramen.

“Okay Uruha, I’m gonna need my phone.” Ruki stood before the genie. He had his hand extended in front of him, beckoning for the cell phone.

“But I just started.” Uruha whined. He still tapped away at the colorful pixels on the screen.

Ruki reached forward and snatched the item from the genie’s slender fingers. He closed the app and stuffed the mobile device in his pocket. He smirked and stuck his tongue out at the tall blonde.

“Now what am I gonna do when you’re gone?” Uruha stretched out along the couch pouting. 

“For an all magical, all powerful supernatural being that transcends us puny mortals, you sure act like a child.” Ruki laughed as the lanky man sulked more.

“Why don’t you explore the world outside? Just try not to get lost.” 

“Oh! I’m allowed!?” Uruha sat up and sprung to life once again.

“Yes. Why wouldn’t you be? You’re free to do whatever you wish. You aren’t trapped in that bottle anymore.” Ruki spoke as he straightened his bowtie and buttoned his cufflinks. 

“.....thank you.” The genie mumbled and rubbed the back of his neck.

Ruki heard him, but didn’t reply. He didn’t think he did anything that required such grateful behavior. He reached for his coat and turned to look at his roommate.

“Hey, if you liked that phone game, maybe someday I can take you to an arcade. It’s like a room full of games.”

Uruha’s eyes lit up in amazement at Ruki’s words. His mouth was hung open in a wide smile. “You would do that for me?!”

“Yeah. Maybe on my next day off. I just need to get the rent paid and then we can go. Does that sound alright with you?” Ruki was facing the door, buttoning up his jacket. 

From behind, he felt a force run into him, almost knocking him over. He stumbled as he felt slim arms wrap around him. He slightly turned his neck and found Uruha eagerly hugging him. His face was buried in his back and the genie was nearly bouncing.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You’re such a kind master! Thank you!” The supernatural blonde repeated his words over and over.

“Hey now. What did I say about calling me ‘master?’”

“Oh, sorry. You’re such a kind….Ruki!” Uruha tried to correct himself.

“Thanks. But you can just call me a friend. No need for all that formality.” The waiter chuckled as he broke free from the embrace.

“Friend.” Uruha spoke, testing the word on his tongue. It sounded nice to say. Especially since it has been many decades since his last friend.

“There you go. Well, I better get going. Need to make that money. I’ll see you later tonight.” Ruki waved to his roommate and closed the door behind him.

Uruha stood by himself in the cozy apartment. He already familiarized himself with the entirety of its layout. He memorized which floorboards squeaked under your feet and which ones didn’t. He remember how many steps it took to get to the bathroom from the front door. He spent the past three days in the apartment while Ruki worked. He kept himself busy by memorizing little things about the apartment. But now that his master gave him permission to go outside, he was both excited and scared.

Uruha turned the handle to the door and opened it. He stood in the hallway looking both ways. There were a few other doors along the walls. All matched in color and material. The genie made his way to the creaking steps and walked down. He stood in the entrance to the building. It was a bit cramped for his liking. And that was coming from somebody who spent a good portion of his life trapped in a bottle.

He exited the building and marveled at the busy cityscape outside. It was filled with different sounds, smells, and sights. Uruha felt a bit overloaded as he tried to take everything in. The sidewalk beneath his feet was in need of repair. There were cracks lined all along it with grass growing in them. The street was busy with automobiles whizzing by. So many different makes and models that Uruha never saw before. 

His eyes wandered to the numerous buildings lining the streets. He noticed a laundromat across the street, it has bubbles painted on it’s windows and door. Beside it was a consignment shop. A handful of buildings surrounding the area looked runned-down and in need of repair.  He stood in place, twirling around to look at everything. He smiled as he found a new world to explore. 

He was still wearing his purple, pleather outfit. Pedestrians walking by stared at him. He turned his gaze towards them and his smiling faltered. He felt self-conscious as he watched them eye him up and down like he was out of place. He wrapped his arms around himself and tilted his head down.

“What the hell kind of outfit is that?” He heard one woman say to another.

“He’s showing so much skin.”

“Such a skimpy outfit, I bet he’s a prostitute or something.”

Uruha listened to all the derogatory statements from strangers. He frowned and sucked on his bottom lip. The harsh words that were flung at him made him want to cry. He always loved this outfit, he's had it for as long as he could remember. It was sentimental to him. He continued to hug himself and strolled off in a random direction. His long legs quickly brought him to an empty alleyway. He slumped against a brick wall and slid down to the ground. He buried his head in his knees and tried to keep his composure. 

He didn’t want to cry, but everything the strangers said about him affected him. He didn’t like the way they looked at him and spoke as if he couldn’t hear them. He was outcasted the moment he walked out the door. Maybe he should’ve stayed in the apartment and waited for Ruki to come home. No one would judge him there.

_ Ruki _

If he found Ruki, no one would make fun of him. The thought brought his head bouncing up and a small smile returned to his face. His master would make him feel better, he was smart after all. Uruha stood up and dusted the dirt off his bare thighs and pleather pant legs. He walked back onto the street, trying his best to ignore the judging looks from pedestrians.

Ruki told him about his job. He worked as a waiter at some restaurant called “Planet Nine.” Uruha pictured his master running around fulfilling other people's requests; much like him with his masters. Though, unlike the hungry and demanding customers of a restaurant, Ruki had yet to wish for anything from Uruha. 

As Uruha walked through the streets, he focused his attentions on finding Ruki. Since the short blonde was his master and responsible for freeing him, Uruha was able to follow a slight magical connection to him. It was like an invisible string that could pull him to the waiter. He followed the spectral tie into more crowded streets. He ignored the strangers and kept his eyes focused forward.

But the farther away from the apartment he got, the weaker the connection was. In fact, he felt weaker in his own powers. Physically he was fine, but he felt his magic slightly drain with each step. He buried his worries and stubbornly continued his search for Ruki. The connection grew so faint, it was almost gone. Uruha frantically searched around, hoping to find some directions.

His eyes fell onto a normal looking building. The only thing that stood out was the sign that read “Planet Nine” in bold letters on the edge of the roof. The blonde genie smiled wide as he realized he found Ruki’s place of employment. He practically ran to the restaurant.

Planet Nine was a one-story high building. It had large glass windows in the front showing customers occupying tables and enjoying their meals. The roof sloped down to offer cover over the entrance. It was a brown brick building with a pale green roof. It looked like a normal, family-friendly establishment. The parking lot to the side was full of cars, no doubt patrons there for their lunch. 

Uruha walked up to the door and pushed it open without a moment’s hesitation. He strolled into the main lobby and found a man standing at a podium.The brunette man’s hair didn’t go past his ears and his bangs were styled to one side. He flashed a friendly smile at Uruha. He was dressed in an outfit much like Ruki’s. 

“Table for one?” The stranger asked. 

The blonde genie suspiciously eyed the man from head to toe. He studied his outfit and found the man had a tag on his vest that read “Shou.” Uruha shook his head. He started to walk forward, before the waiter stopped him by standing in front of him.

“Ruki.” The genie spoke with a demanding tone.

“Ruki? Do you want Ruki to wait on you sir?” Shou asked, without breaking his professional smile.

“No. I need to see him. Where is he?”

“He’s busy with other customers right now, it's the lunch rush. I can see if he has a free minute.” Shou bowed and walked towards the crowded dining area. The genie noticed how the brunette’s eyes wandered over his outfit. He probably thought all the derogatory things the people from earlier voiced aloud. Uruha strained his neck to try and spot his master. But he only saw more and more strange faces. He shifted back and forth on his feet, anxious to see Ruki again. He looked down at his outfit, trying to figure out what was wrong with it.

“Uruha?!”

The genie’s head shot up and made eye contact with the short waiter. He was hastily walking towards the lobby, an empty serving tray tucked under his arm. His forehead had sweaty blonde locks sticking to it as he shot a surprised look at his roommate. Shou stood beside him, glancing at both men.

Uruha quickly closed the distance between them and hugged Ruki. The taller genie buried his face in his master’s blonde hair. Despite the sweat, he still smelt the citrus shampoo. He felt his despair and self-consciousness from earlier disappear in the presence of his master. He didn’t notice the stares he received from Shou and a few of the customers; he only focused on Ruki.

“Is everything okay?” Ruki returned the hug with his free arm; patting the tall man’s back to calm him. The genie was slightly shaking, he was either cold or about to cry. This worried the waiter.

“Shou, I need to take my ten minute break. Is that okay?” The blonde turned towards his coworker. The brunette offered to take the serving tray from Ruki.

“Sure. I’ll cover for you. Just, please, don’t take too long, there’s only so much I can do before we get another spurt of people.” Shou smiled and went to the table Ruki was waiting on before he was interrupted. 

Ruki pulled away from Uruha, the genie frowned at the lost of warmth. He wrapped his petite hand around Uruha’s forearm and guided him through the restaurant. He led him through the kitchen, all eyes focused on the waiter and strangely dressed man. They walked out the door and stood in the alleyway. Ruki released the genie and turned to look at him.

Uruha stood rigid against the wall. He realized he interrupted his master’s work, a punishable act. He awaited the anger and discipline. Ruki walked forward and the genie flinched. He closed his eyes and tilted his head down. He tensed in anticipation. 

Instead of pain, he felt Ruki’s soft fingers lightly rest on his arm. “Uruha, are you alright?”

The genie opened his eyes and saw the short man looking up at him with genuine concern. He offered a small, comforting smile to encourage him to talk. He moved his fingers soothingly along his arms to calm down his shaking. The mythical being opened his mouth and closed it a few times, to collect his thoughts.

“I was…..there were people….they whispered...said…..mean things as I walked around.” Uruha’s mind stuttered as he tried to vent.

“Take it easy. Deep breath. Someone said something mean to you? Who was it?” Ruki felt the tall man’s shaking stop as he breathed out a sigh.

“I was walking around, exploring like you said. I overheard what some of the people were saying about my outfit. They called me a prostitute and I just felt so judged. I couldn’t fit in and I’m sorry.” Uruha slid to the ground to bury his face in his knees again.

“Sorry for what?” Ruki bent to kneel beside the vulnerable being.

“I bothered you, and I shouldn’t have. I should’ve handled this myself.” The genie mumbled into his knees.

“Look at me.” Ruki commanded. Uruha obediently obliged his master. The waiter smiled at him and rested a hand on his knees.

“Don’t let the thoughts of strangers get you down. Who cares what they think? If you like the way you’re dressed that’s all that matters. If you think you look cool, then you look cool.” He rubbed this thumb in circles on Uruha’s knee. 

“And you have nothing to apologize for. You are not bothering me. I’m happy you sought me out. That’s what friends are for. To comfort each other.” The blonde waiter stood up and offered his hand to the genie. Uruha grabbed it and stood.

“Besides, who wants to fit in. That’s boring.”

“Is that why you dye your hair?” 

“How did you know I dye it?!” Ruki looked at the taller man in shock.

“Oh, well the first day….when I accidentally walked in on you….I kinda saw….” Uruha blushed and looked away. “Your body hair was a different color so…..”

The waiters face reddened the moment he realized what the genie was referring to. He figured he saw everything, he was completely naked. But he didn’t want to think about it or have his suspicions confirmed. He scratched the back of his neck and tried to laugh it off.

“Well, yeah. Let’s forget about that, okay?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Stop apologizing!” Ruki playfully hit the genies arm and giggled. “So, apart from the people, how did the exploring go? See anything interesting?”

“Oh,” Uruha’s face lit up with a childlike innocence. “I saw so many cars! They look so different now.”

“You know what cars are?”

“Yeah. I don’t remember much from my last time out of the bottle, but I remember them. They are a lot cooler looking. Do you have one?” His eyes continued to sparkle with his fascination.

“No. They’re too expensive for me.” The waiter saw how his words made Uruha’s face drop. It pained him to see the genie’s hopes fall. “But, maybe someday we can ride the bus.”

“Bus?” The tall blonde tilted his head in questioning.

“It’s like a car, but bigger. It’s cheaper too.” The wonderment returned to the genie’s face. Without thinking, the mythical being wrapped his arms around the waiter and brought him into a tight bear hug. He even lifted the shorter man so his feet dangled off the ground. Uruha giggled while Ruki shouted out protests.

“Everything okay out here?”

The pair turned to see Shou standing in the door. He was sweating profusely and had a look of concern about him. The way he curiously glanced at Uruha made the genie quickly release Ruki from his grip. He felt uneasy, like the man was judging him.

“Yeah, Shou. Sorry about that. It was kind of urgent.” Ruki straightened out his vest and bowtie. 

“That’s okay. Think you can come back in? We just had a family of six and a trio of businessmen walk through the door.”

“Yeah, I’ll be right in.” The blonde waved at his fellow waiter. Shou returned inside leaving them alone in the alleyway again.  

Ruki sighed as he looked back at the genie. He knew he had to return to work, but he worried for the taller blonde. He was vulnerable and scared at the moment. Clearly, he needed companionship right now. The waiter could tell with the way the genie hugged himself and kicked at the dirt beneath their feet. 

“You know,” the shorter blonde started. “You can come inside and have a drink or some lunch. My treat.”

“Really?!.” Uruha’s eyes shot wide open as he stared back. “But...but I don’t want to be a bother. I already occupied too much of your time and…”

“No!” Ruki fiercely cut off the genie. “I enjoy your company, so having you around is no bother. Now why don’t you come inside and forget your worries?”

Ruki extended his hand towards the genie. Uruha’s eyes lit up and he smiled brightly as he accepted the hand beckoned towards him. Uruha was fascinated by the waiter. He always knew what to say when the genie started to doubt himself. His infinite power was nothing compared to the companionship this mortal offered. He was his master, but refused to be referred to as one. He even allowed Uruha roam free in the outside world. He was definitely different from his previous masters.

* * *

 

The sounds of dishes clanking together and multiple conversations were having Uruha’s senses working on overload. There was so much happening around him, he didn’t know where to direct his attention. Let alone all the different aromas filling the air. Some smells were good, others weren’t too kind to the nostrils.

Uruha sat in a booth near a large glass window, so he had a view of the outside world. So many people and vehicles passed by due to the rush hour. The genie’s head snapped back and forth, trying to take it all in. He was like a child, new to the world and trying to study it. 

The genie had yet to make sense of the menu Ruki gave him. His master handed him the parchment, before he quickly went to refill a customer’s drink and deliver a plate of steamed oysters to a businessman on his lunch. The blonde bolted around the restaurant, straining his mind to remember orders and keep his patrons satisfied. 

Uruha couldn’t help but notice the absence of a smile. Every time they talked, the blonde would grin at him and have a friendly aura about him. But here, it all looked too fake to the genie. Sure, the waiter would smile at his customers, but it didn’t look real. It made the genie wonder why Ruki continued to work here. Especially now that he had a genie. He could wish to be anywhere else. Once there was a bit of a lull, Ruki managed to return to Uruha’s booth.

“So, did you decide on anything?” Ruki smiled, a genuine one, and held up a pen and small tablet of paper.

“Umm,” the genie shyly looked at the laminated paper in his hands. “I don’t know what some of this is.”

He read over the menu several times. He could make out some of the words, but when they were connected to others he was lost on what their meanings were. He knew what “chicken” was. But he no idea what “jerk chicken” was. He knew it wasn’t an insult, that much he could figure out.

Ruki placed his tablet back in his apron. He was sweating and tried to wipe his forehead clean with the back of his hand. The waiter then scooted himself opposite the genie in the booth. 

“What are you having trouble with?” His voice was calm and patient.

“Well….like this one here. I don’t know what that is.” Uruha showed the menu to Ruki and pointed at one of the items on it. The waiter leaned forward to see he was pointing at “Brioche French Toast.” 

“Oh, well that’s a good one. It’s two thick slices of bread dipped in egg and then fried in a pan. We sprinkle cinnamon sugar on it and serve it with whipped cream on top. Plus you get your choice of syrup or honey. It’s one of our popular breakfast options.”

“You make it sound so good.” Uruha could feel himself salivate at the waiters words.

“Would you like it?”

“If you say it’s good, yes please.” The genie nodded and folded the menu closed. 

“Okay.” Ruki stood up and scribbled the order on his notepad. He took the menu from the genie. “I’ll make it how I like it.”

“No ramen please.” Uruha whined making the waiter laugh. The genie knew about the blonde’s strict diet of instant noodles.

“Don’t worry. This place is too fancy for that.” Ruki chuckled and walked away towards the kitchen.

Uruha was alone again. This time he didn’t have a menu to occupy his hands so he played with the paper napkin his silverware was wrapped in. He folded it into an origami crane with little effort. He looked up from his work and saw the family of three sitting at a table not far from his booth. The two adults were talking about boring topics like water bills and work schedules. They had a young daughter, she looked about six. She played with the vegetables on her plate and kept looking up at the genie.

When Uruha looked at her and smiled, she quickly turned her gaze downward. Embarrassed she was caught staring. Her pigtailed hair bounced with each turn of her head. She still tried to side-eye him without making it too obvious. The genie smirked, she was probably just as bored as he was. 

With the paper crane he just folded, he decided to have some fun. He placed it on the end of his table, making sure the girl saw it. She stared at the origami, no doubt fascinated by it. Uruha then tapped his slender index finger on the crane’s head. With more effort than usual, a small yellow spark emitted from the touch and he withdrew his hand. The paper remained still in its spot. The girl eyed it curiously, unsure what the stranger was doing. 

Then, the crane shifted slightly, it started turning it’s head from side to side and fluttered its wings. The little girl’s mouth fell open in amazement. Her eyes sparkled as she watched the origami begin to move off the table. It flapped in the air, animated like a real-life bird. Uruha flicked his finger forward, making the bird float along the air towards the girl. 

With a graceful flap, the crane landed on top the child’s head. The girl’s wide eyes continued to stare at the genie as she excitedly reached her hands above her to grasp the paper. She shifted her gaze between the origami in her palms to the genie at the booth. He smiled at the girl and nodded. 

“Aw, sweetie. Did you make that?” The adult woman finally paid attention to her daughter. The young girl shook her head and sported an adorable pout on her face.

“No, it flew.” She held her hands out and released the bird. But it just fell limp onto her plate of unfinished peas and mashed potatoes.

“To be young again. Such imagination.” The woman cooed. 

Just then Ruki returned. He held a plate in one hand and a slip of paper in the other. He stopped at the family’s table first. He handed the slip of paper to the father.

“You’re receipt sir. Please pay at the front lobby. And thank you for dining with us today. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.” The blonde waiter recited his script and nodded his head. He left them to visit his genie’s table.

He placed the plate in front of Uruha, but the genie was watching the family push their chairs in and weave their way towards the front. The little girl looked rather crestfallen as she hopped off her chair. 

The genie quickly folded another origami crane and sent it flying through the air to land on the young girl’s shoulder. She jumped and caught the falling paper in her hands. She looked up at the genie. Uruha pushed a single finger to his lips, signalling to the girl to keep it a secret. She smiled and mimicked the gesture. With the crane in her hands, she skipped after her parents and disappeared from sight. He felt weak from spending that little amount of magic.

Ruki stood beside his table, smiling fondly at the blonde. “You’re lucky no one saw you do that.”

“Why?” The genie’s voice oozed innocence.

“Then everyone would find out you’re a genie.”

“What’s wrong with that? It’s what I am.” 

Ruki sighed. He laughed at the obviousness of his friend.

“There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just the fact that everyone would bother you with nonstop wishes.” Ruki slid in the booth, across from Uruha.

“But you know I’m a genie, and you haven’t wished for anything yet.” Uruha pointed out, a little sadness in his voice. 

The waiter frowned at his tone of voice. He felt guilty for not taking advantage of his powers, but the thing was he didn’t want to take advantage of Uruha. He was stubborn and raised to work for everything he had. He loathed people who had everything handed to them in life. He vowed to never become one of those spoiled people.

In an attempt to change the mood, Ruki brought their attention back to the food he brought to the genie. 

“Here’s the French toast you ordered.” Uruha looked down and his eyes widened at the delicious sight. The plate looked picturesque in front of him. The toast was covered in the right amount of whipped cream, honey, and maple syrup. The genie licked his lips as he picked up his silverware to eat it. With the first bite, he couldn't control the smile from spreading across his face.

“This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten in all the years of my existence!” He chirped as he shoved another bite into his mouth.

“Didn’t you say that you can’t remember much from your previous time out of the bottle.” The blonde giggled at the being devouring the food. He opened his mouth to say something, but since it was full of food, the waiter had no clue what the genie said.

Ruki got up to clean the table the family from earlier left. He slipped the tip into his pocket, frowning a bit at the amount. He stacked plates and wiped down the wooden table with a damp cloth. Uruha continued to sling compliments his way and they continued their banter while the waiter worked. 

He brought the stack of dirtied dishes to the kitchen, leaving Uruha to enjoy his meal alone. He set the plates beside the sink so Tora would know to wash them when he was done with the ones he was currently working on. As the waiter turned around, he found Shou following behind him. He too, placed some dishes down.

“So, who is that man? He seemed really worked up. Everything okay?” Shou asked Ruki, a concerned expression on his face.

“Oh, that’s Uruha. Yes, everything is okay now. He was just upset about some stuff. It’s all good now.” The blonde reassured his fellow waiter.

“Is he a friend of yours?” There was a look, other than concern in his eyes. But Ruki couldn’t tell what it was. The tone in his voice had a slight anger to it. Maybe it was closer to jealousy?

“Yeah. He’s my roommate and new in town. I’m trying to help him get use to things.” Ruki watched a relief wash over Shou. A smile returned to the brunettes face.

“Oh, okay.” Shou joined Ruki as they walked out of the kitchen to return to the dining area. “So, are you free tonight? Maybe we can get some drinks?”

Ruki felt a blush crawl up his face. Was his crush seriously asking him out, again? It was such a tempting offer, and he felt bad for always declining. Well, it wasn’t because he disliked the brunette. In fact, it was the exact opposite. But he had to scrimp and save every penny to get by. He hesitated as he turned towards his fellow waiter and chewed on his bottom lip.

“Sorry. I’m hoping after today I have enough for this month’s rent. Maybe we can try in a few days?” Ruki didn’t want to come out and cut him down again. He saw a slight despair in Shou’s reaction change to one of hope when he fully realized his words. Ruki wanted to, but just not right now.

“Oh, okay. Maybe this weekend? If you are a little short I can cover some of the charge.” Shou courteously offered.

“As long as that wasn’t a joke on my height, I’d enjoy that.” The waiters laughed and then dispersed. They quickly worked the floor to keep all the patrons happy and fed. Despite the rush, Ruki sported a genuine smile. He was happy, and didn’t put on a front just for the customers. 

He vigorously worked to gather enough tips to cover Uruha’s lunch and pay his rent. He was determined to go out with Shou, despite the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya! Uploaded this a day early since I'm gonna be busy at work. Hope you enjoy this chapter as we see Shou appearing more. Thanks for the support! ^_^


	3. Night Out

Ruki stared at himself in the standing mirror. He ran his fingers through his styled blonde hair for the seventieth time. He fretted over every detail of his outfit. He finally managed to pay his rent and had a little spending money left over. Plus him and Shou had agreed upon a day to go out drinking. With Kai and Tora joining them, it wasn’t a date. That made Ruki’s heart drop a bit, but he still thought of it as one. He might be able to get some alone time with the brunette waiter, and who knows, maybe they confess and see where that goes.

The blonde shook his head, pushing the fantasy out of his mind. He tried to be more realistic. They’ll probably all drink so much and Ruki will end up driving everyone home in Kai’s car. Like so many other times before. He sighed as he slid on a few of his favorite rings.

He left his bedroom and entered the living room. Uruha was sitting on the couch, playing Candy Crush on Ruki’s smartphone. He was far better at it than Ruki was, so the waiter forfeited his phone to him when he was home. The genie stopped his tapping on the device when he noticed his master enter the room.

He lowered his hands to rest in his lap as he looked up at Ruki. Uruha chewed the inside of his cheek and looked bothered. The waiter could tell he wanted to say something, but was too afraid to spit it out.

“What’s bothering you?”

“Are you sure you want me to come along? They’re your friends.” 

When Ruki learned that their outing was going to be one among friends instead of a date, he invited Uruha along. He considered the mystical being his friend, and wanted to introduce him to his coworkers. 

“But they can be yours too.” Ruki reasoned with the genie. 

Uruha shifted and stood. He eyed the waiter’s casual attire then looked at his own. He still wore the purple window-pants and feathers. The same look he’s had since he was first freed from his bottle. He handed the phone back to the blonde and frowned. 

“Do I need to change?” Uruha worried.

“Only if you want to. Who cares how you look.” Ruki shrugged.

The blonde genie’s eyes fell to his attire once again. He mumbled under his breath. He already inadvertently met some of Ruki’s friends when he visited the restaurant. It would be pretty suspicious if he wore the same thing. 

The genie’s form was consumed by a purple and gold smoke. It sparkled and dissipated revealing Uruha in new clothes. He wore a white, long-sleeved shirt under a black vest. His neck was adorned with a loosened, black tie. He wore black leather shorts with matching black leggings underneath to cover his thighs, as well has thigh-high boots, also black. His attire was somewhat casual, but still looked abnormal to most people. 

Ruki hummed, admiring the genie’s unique fashion sense. It made him feel a little underdressed with his flannel shirt that went past his waist and his ripped black jeans. He shook his head at himself and smiled at his friend.

“You look good.” He complimented, making the mystical being shift on his feet a bit before mumbling a thanks to him.

“Well, we should get going if we want to catch the bus in time.” The waiter eyed his watch as he headed towards the door.

Uruha’s eyes widened with excitement. He was eager to ride the bus ever since Ruki described one to him as “a big car.” He never had the privilege of riding in a car, so a bus would prove to be exciting. 

Walking along the sidewalk, Uruha held his head up high. People stared at him, but no one commented aloud about his outfit, unlike the first day he stepped outside. He felt pride, knowing the presence of his master stopped the judgement he felt that day. He walked close to the short blonde, but had to slow his pace to keep inline with him.

They stopped at a small, covered booth with benches lined inside. They were the only two there so they sat down. Uruha studied the map hanging inside. It showed a highlighted route in red circling around the city. It was no doubt the path the bus traveled. Though, the graffiti on it was more interesting, most of it was vulgar and the genie didn’t understand some of it.

“Hey Ruki?” The blonde hummed, letting Uruha know he was listening, even though he was busy looking at his phone.

“Why are there thumbs up on here?” 

“What?” Ruki turned his head to look at the map. 

“Right here, and here. Are these places good? This one has two thumbs up.” The genie pointed his slender fingers at the places he was talking about. Ruki almost cackled aloud when he saw what the genie misinterpreted. All the areas with ‘thumbs’ were actually gay bars, and those weren’t thumbs, rather they were small doodles of another part of the male body. 

The genie turned to see his master’s face, the waiter was biting down on his lip to keep from laughing. He was trying to think of a way to explain it to the genie, since he looked so innocent asking his questions.

“Well, those places are marked because they’re considered a good “hook-up” place.” He stifled a giggle as he tried to sugar coat his answer. “You know, one-night stands and such.”

“A night-stand? Why would a bar sell end tables?”

The genie’s ignorance had Ruki holding his sides. He muffled much of his laughter with his hand.  _ How could someone as attractive as him be so innocent about this stuff?  _

Ruki paused, did he just think Uruha attractive? Well, he was easy on the eyes, that’s for sure. But he shook the thought out of his head, embarrassed his mind even wandered there. He returned the genie’s gaze, the mystical blonde awaited a response.

“How is it you know what cars are, and have unlimited magical abilities, but you don’t know what a one-night stand is?” Ruki scoffed. He saw the genie blush and slumped his head between his shoulders.

“I told you, I don’t remember much from my previous times out of the bottle.” Uruha chewed his lip and Ruki felt bad for teasing him. 

“I know. Well, a one-night stand is when you go to someone’s place and have sex with them. But you leave in the morning and don’t seek them out again.” The waiter scratched the back of his neck and fought the redness trying to creep its way onto his face.

Uruha listened attentively, then his eyes widened once Ruki was done talking and he fully registered what the blond just said. He made no attempt to hid his blush and his eyes fell to his hands, fidgeting around in his lap. After a moment of silence, he cleared his throat.

“Why would someone do that?” His voice was almost a whisper.

“Um, I guess some people aren’t looking for relationships. They just want a release, to have a fun time without the commitment afterwards.” Ruki felt like a father explaining the “birds and the bees” to a child. It was embarrassing, and difficult to explain. This was the first time he ever felt this way with the genie.

“Have you ever done that?” Uruha’s question took the smaller man by surprise. The genie was still blushing and looking down. Ruki prayed that the bus would arrive soon and distract the genie from the subject.

“I...uh...well…” The waiter wasn’t sure how to answer that. He knew the answer, but didn’t know how to phrase it. When the genie finally looked up and made eye contact, Ruki felt like a deer caught in headlights. He didn’t know why he worried about this so much. 

“Yeah. I’ve had a one-night stand, um, or two.” Ruki felt a small bit of shame admitting it. He never felt this way about them before. He wasn’t proud of it, but never was ashamed by what he did. It was in the past, so there was no use fretting over it. But now, with Uruha eyeing him so attentively, it made his stomach ache.

They stayed silent after that. Uruha hummed, and turned his gaze back towards the map. The genie was deep in thought as his eyes scanned over the layout of the city. His blush slowly left his face as he chewed the inside of his cheek. Ruki watched him, expecting him to turn around and ask some more questions. He was use to the being’s curious nature, but the recent topic pushed into uncomfortable areas for Ruki. 

Not long after, the bus arrived. The genie turned around and the sparkle to his eyes returned. A wide smile graced his plump lips as he hopped up with Ruki. The blonde waiter paid for both their fares and they moved down the aisle of the bus. There weren’t many people on the bus, so they had their choice of seats. He let the genie choose, and they sat at the back. 

Once the vehicle started up, Uruha let a small squeal escape his lips. His head turned all around as he tried to study his surroundings. He saw the streets outside move past them at amazing speeds. He saw the streetlights take their time turning one, and the pedestrians on sidewalks enter buildings as the sky darkened. 

The bus itself was relatively clean, save for one passenger who’s nest of a hair needed some serious washing. The seat were comfortable, and Uruha fought back the urge to jump on them. His tall legs were cramped however. He had to fold them up close to himself since the back of the seat in front of them left little leg room for him, meanwhile Ruki was fine.

Ruki watched the genie. He smiled as he saw the golden irises of Uruha bounce around. He reminded him of a puppy on a car ride. He looked so excited, it made Ruki glad he decided to take the bus, his friend clearly enjoyed it.

Once they reached their destination, Uruha followed behind Ruki closely. They stepped off the bus and walked a short distance to the bar.  It’s neon lighting reflected off the sidewalk. In blue, cursive lettering read “Taboo.” Outside were a few people standing in groups, talking and smoking. None of them looked familiar to the genie.

“Come on, I think they’re already inside.” Ruki led them to the front door and entered.

Once inside, Uruha tried his best to adjust his eyes. The dim lighting made things hard to see for him. He scanned the area, hoping to find Ruki’s friends. Admittedly, the only one he’d recognize would be Shou. 

They stood at the entrance for a bit, both trying to find their group. After a few minutes with no luck, their attentions were drawn to a hand waving high in their direction. At a booth, they saw a dimple-faced brunette smiling and waving at them. Uruha didn’t recognize him so he made no motion to move in that direction.

“That’s Kai. He’s our chef. Let’s go.” Ruki saw the hesitation on the taller’s face and spoke to ease his nerves. He saw the genie relax and follow him.

As they neared the booth, Kai scooted over to let the two sit. Ruki sat between Kai and Uruha. On the opposite side of the booth sat Shou, and a dark-haired tattooed man that Uruha didn’t recognize. The genie’s lanky legs hung out the side of the booth so he didn’t bump into anyone else’s feet. 

“Glad you could make it.” Shou smiled at Ruki. His smile always made the blonde’s stomach flutter. The way the brunette’s lips curled and revealed some of his teeth was endearing. He had a naturally cheerful aura which attracted Ruki to him.

“Thanks for waiting. Um, this is Uruha.” Ruki settled in his seat and pointed towards his tall guest. The other three turned their eyes to him. 

The genie was busy scanning his eyes over every aspect of the bar, he didn’t notice their gaze. He studied the dimly lit room. On the wall behind the bar was a large mirror and shelves framing it, holding a hodge podge of different and unique looking bottles. Strips of neon lights along the tops of the wall helped build the atmosphere. Pink neon lights reflected off the dark walls and light colored ceiling. To the side of the bar was a small area filled with people dancing against each other. 

The place was crowded.

There was a strange feeling Uruha was getting in this bar. It somehow reminded him of the sake bottle he’d been imprisoned in. Not for the obvious alcoholic similarities, but he felt something almost magical about this place. But he himself felt weak in his magical abilities, something he’s been meaning to look into. He couldn’t quite put his thought into words and shook his head in frustration. 

Uruha finally brought his gaze back to the group and jumped when he saw everyone staring at him. His brow furrowed as he wondered what he did wrong. He was in his own world a little bit ago, so he didn’t pay attention to what anyone said. He was relieved when he saw Ruki smile.

“Uruha, this is Shou.” The shorter man pointed to the brunette seated across from him.

“We’ve met before. Nice to see you again.” Shou bowed his head in niceties. Uruha mimicked the action, not sure what else to do.

“This is Tora.” A finger pointed at the man sitting across from Uruha. The man had ink colored hair that was pulled into a ponytail above his head. He had his arms folded on the table, sleeves of tattoos revealed under his quarter-length sleeves. He smiled at the genie, a piercing in his lip. 

“Heya.” Tora’s voice was low. Uruha bowed his head towards him. His eyes were focused on the lip ring. There was something familiar about that too. He feels like he remembers someone with a lip ring, but the memory is all fuzzy.

“And this is Kai.” Ruki’s voice broke Uruha’s concentration. He turned to see the dimpled-brunette beside his master. The man had a blindingly bright smile. 

“Nice to meet you Uruha.”  Kai waved at him. “So how do you know Ruki?”

“He found me in an alleyway.” Uruha’s response made the blonde waiter jump. The genie noticed how he quickly placed his hand on his thigh and started laughing loudly to fill the silence amongst themselves. The others joined in, but Uruha was confused. He didn’t make a joke.

“We were friends when we were little…” Ruki licked his lips. “He just moved here and is currently my roomate.”

He couldn’t figure out why the blonde was lying about him. Then he remembered how Ruki warned him at the restaurant about using his magic in public. It seemed his master didn’t want others to know his true nature. Uruha saw how Ruki’s lips quirked into a nervous grin. His hand was still on his thigh as he lied about their situation. He saw everyone around them laughing.

“The way you answered without hesitation. I almost believed you!” Kai laughed, believing Uruha told a joke.

“Yeah, I was worried Ruki started picking up prostitutes.” Tora snickered. 

Uruha blushed and tried to hide his embarrassment with laughter. This wasn’t the first time he was accused of being a sex worker this week. Ruki’s squeezed the taller one’s thigh. Uruha turned and found the blonde smiling at him. It was almost like he picked up on the genie’s uneasiness. He was trying to tell the genie not to worry. He released his thigh and turned towards his chuckling friends. 

“No no no.” Ruki repeated the words while laughing. 

“So Shou, heard anything from Saga yet about repairing the back burner on the one stovetop? If we’re gonna continue to be busy like we are, it’s a major hindrance.” Kai asked.

“Next Thursday, I think he has someone coming in to look at it.” Shou sighs and runs his hand through his hair. “I hope the person can fix it while they’re there. The customers have been getting angry with the wait time.”

“Oi! We’re off the clock. Shut up about work.” Tora interrupts their conversation with a grunt.

“Sorry.” Kai giggles. Shou playfully punches his shoulder. 

“Who’s Saga?” Uruha turned to Ruki. He spoke low, but not in a whisper. 

“Oh, he’s our boss and the owner of the restaurant.” The blonde waiter smiled at his companion. 

“What did I just say?” Tora huffed at the blonde. “If we are gonna talk work, I need a drink.”

Tora motioned Shou to move so he could step out of the booth. He stretched his legs and walked off towards the bar. The brunette waiter slid back in, and positioned himself across from Ruki.

“Hey Uruha,” the dimpled face cook leaned forward to view the tall blonde. “Why don’t you get a drink? This is one of the best bars in town.”

Uruha purses his lips together in thought. It was a tempting offer, he loved his alcohol. But he didn’t want to leave Ruki. These were the waiter’s friends, not his, so he wasn’t sure how to interact with them. Worried, he turned towards his master.

Ruki nodded. “Go ahead. This place has practically every drop of alcohol you could imagine.”

“Sake?” The genie’s voice came out in a shy squeak.

“Of course.” Ruki smiled. Uruha’s childlike nature never failed to make the waiter grin. His eyes shot open at the blonde’s words and an excited glint shone in them. He bowed and quickly stood up. In a few paces he had reached the bar and already ordered his first drink. 

“He seems happy.” Shou chuckled as he watched the tall blond bounce away.

“Yeah, he enjoys a good drink.”

The trio left at the booth watched as Tora and Uruha started to talk over their drinks. Kai smirked as he looked between the two waiters. His plan was already in effect, now he just needed to pull his finally move. 

“What do you say we go to the dance floor? Let the alcoholic’s get wasted.”

“You know I can’t dance.” Ruki mumbled. His hands drummed off the wood of the table in nervousness. The cook saw his apprehensiveness. But Shou seemed pleased with the idea.

“Oh, but that does sound like fun.” 

“Then you two can go ahead. I’ll wait here.” It was always like this. Ruki expected the night to turn out like this. Everyone else would drink or dance, then he’d be the only sober one left. 

“Maybe you’ll feel better after a drink.” Kai suggested and waved Tora over to them.

The tattooed man carried a brass colored mug with a lime on the rim. He stood at the end of their booth, eyeing them all. He already had a drink or two, but still seemed sober. No doubt, he could handle his alcohol.

“Hey Tora, Ruki needs a drink.” Kai patted the blonde on his back. Ruki looked in shock at his friends. His mouth gaped like a fish struggling to breath, until he managed to speak.

“What?! No I don’t!”

“It’ll help loosen you up and join us on the dance floor.” The cook was unrelenting.

Tora slid his copper mug in front of the blonde. Ruki pouted as all his friends watched him. He examined the drink in front of him. He wasn’t an expert at identifying them. In fact, he never drank. He always opted for a soda or water, knowing he’d end up the designated driver.

“What is this?” Ruki’s nose scrunched as he lifted the mug, inspecting the contents. 

“Moscow Mule.” Tora flatly replied. 

“I don't drink.”

“Just a bit to ease your nerves. Don’t you want to join me and Shou?” 

Ruki looked up at his crush across from him. The man had stayed silent the entire time, but continued to smile at him. He silently begged Ruki to drink the beverage in front of him, but didn’t join the peer pressure. The blonde waiter sighed and took a sip.

It took a bit until his taste buds adjusted to the flavor of the drink. It wasn’t flavorful for him. He suppressed a gag as he took another sip. This time the liquid slid across his tongue better, and he enjoyed the mix of ginger and lime. Before he knew it, he finished his drink but his anxiousness still remained.

“Do you want another?” Kai asked, seeing the blonde’s leg bounce under the table. He nodded and Kai asked Tora to bring him another.

Once Ruki finished his second drink, he felt more at ease. He wouldn’t say he was tipsy or anything like that. But he had a small bit of confidence instil in him.

“Do you want to dance?” Shou broke his silence, a small blush tinted his cheeks. Ruki glanced at him and felt his own face bruning. He nodded and the trio finally stood and moved towards the dance floor.

Ruki stayed close to his brunette crush as they moved between the crowds. He somehow lost sight of Kai. He could’ve sworn he was right behind them. He shook the worry from his mind as he realized he was alone with his crush. Well, not completely alone since they were surrounded by strangers; but they all minded their own business.

Shou turned and faced Ruki. The smaller man blushed as bodies bumped into him, pushing him closer to the brunette. Shou smiled and slowly moved his hands to cup the shorter’s face. He didn’t want to be too forceful in his actions. 

Once he found no resistance, he cupped Ruki’s face with his one hand and rested the other on his slim waist. With patience, he brought his face down to the shorter and steadied himself as his lips smirked inches away from the small blonde’s. 

Ruki felt the puffs of the other’s breath against his lips. His eyes instinctively closed. He feared he would become a frazzled mess looking into the other’s eyes. His pulse quickened and he felt the sting of his blush reach his ears. He felt the warmth of the other inch closer and closer.

* * *

 

Uruha downed his drink the moment he received it. The burning sensation of the liquid sliding down his throat was nostalgic. It’s been so long, he missed it. A wide smile spread across his face as he quickly ordered another. 

“You enjoy your drinks.” Tora chuckled. He stood beside the blonde, with an amused grin plastered on his face. Uruha nodded as he watched the bartender fetch his next drink.

“So, how long have you been in town? This is the first time Ruki mentioned you.”

“About a week, I think.” Uruha replied. He racked his brain on what more to say. He hadn’t talked to anyone but his master for the past few days. He was rusty on social interactions. “How long have you known Ruki?”

“Hmm, three years. Ever since he started at Planet Nine.” Tora took another sip of his drink. “He was so fidgety when he started, he’s seems more relaxed now.”

Uruha tried to picture his master fumbling around the restaurant. But after he visited him at work the other day, it was hard to envision. The blonde swerved through people with ease and smiled politely. He seemed a natural.

Tora turned his head towards their booth and found Kai waving his arm at him. He grumbled and picked up the drink he just ordered. He could tell from the look on Kai’s face that the brunette was planning something.

“Excuse me.” He bowed at Uruha and walked over to their booth. 

Uruha watched as the tattooed man paced over to the booth. He then turned his attention towards the bar. The strange presence he felt earlier was stronger at the bar. It was more prominent, now He didn’t doubt it was something of a magical nature. His eyes scanned the unique and intriguing bottles behind the bar. He wondered if one of them contained another of his kind. 

To his dismay, he couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from though. None of the bottles had an aura around them. Well, nothing powerful enough for him to see at least. This feeling was frustrating him but he soon ignored his search as Tora came back to stand beside him. The dark haired man smiled and ordered another drink.

“They are so obvious, it makes me sick.”

Uruha raised an eyebrow at the man’s random comment. He had no idea what he was talking about. Seeing the taller man’s confusion, Tora elaborated.

“I’m talking about Ruki and Shou. They’ve made puppy eyes at each other for over a year now. They’re idiots if they can’t tell the other is interested in them.” Tora huffed and took a swig.

Kai immediately ran up to them. His face was sweaty and he wore a smug smile. He placed his hand on both their shoulders to get their attention. 

“Guess who just became a first-class wingman?”

“It’s not really wingmanning if the two of them were already lovesick. You just pushed those idiots onto a crowded dance floor.” Tora scoffed.

“Either way, I helped play matchmaker.” Kai had a proud aura surrounding him as he watched the dance floor. 

Uruha followed his gaze. He scanned the faces of all the strangers grinding against each other. Despite the sweat, they all had looks of endearment or lust. It took the genie a bit to spot two familiar figures. He recognized the blonde locks on a shorter man. Unconsciously, the sight of his master brought a warmth to his chest. Then his eyes saw the familiar figure of a brunette waiter, pressing his lips against Ruki’s. 

The sight made Kai squeal with joy. Tora scoffed and continued his drinking. He mumbled, “Finally.”

Uruha stared. He tried to understand the emotions he was feeling. He was happy to see Ruki smiling. The blonde looked like he was enjoying himself, and so the genie was glad for his master. Ruki was such a kind person, he deserved happiness. But then at the same time, he felt some kind of pain in his heart. The sight before him made him hurt, but he couldn’t understand why.

Ruki managed to find his happiness on his own, without any aid from Uruha’s magic. He always worked towards his goal, something the genie found admirable. But a part of him wanted to help him. If Ruki didn’t need his magic, why was he still around? All his previous masters made sure to use his abilities. But Ruki just shrugs off all of Uruha’s suggestions when it comes to his magic.

Then another part of Uruha didn’t like the sight of Shou kissing the shorter waiter. He beratted himself, cause a part of him wanted to swap out Shou for himself. He wondered what the blonde’s lips felt like. Of course, he kissed him the day he freed him, but that was awkward and the blonde didn’t kiss back. The way Ruki brought his arms around the brunette’s neck made Uruha look away. The sight made his face feel warm.

“You jealous?” Tora whispered so Kai wouldn’t hear him. Uruha jumped at the accusation. He blushed and quickly answered.

“No. I’m just happy for them. I’m glad Ruki found someone.” Uruha’s words convinced Tora, but he didn’t believe himself. Uruha didn’t understand these feelings. He was in emotional turmoil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The love triangle is starting to form....


	4. A Gift

A blaring sound filled Ruki’s ears. His eyes shot open as he turned towards the source. He found himself in his bed, snuggled between blankets and an alarm clock beeping aggressively. He sluggishly plopped his hand on it to silence the electronic. It took a few seconds before his blurry vision adjusted. 

He sat up in his bed and yawned loudly, trying to shake away the remaining sleepiness. He looked around his room and found it to be in the same state as every other day. He sighed as he recollected last night.

He remembers hanging out with his friends, introducing them to Uruha. He paid his rent and had some spending money left, so he treated himself. Though, having to pay for his and Uruha’s drinks cost more than he would’ve liked it to. He had to dip into his grocery funds.

Uruha offered to pay for his own, but Ruki refused to let him. He knew the genie would counterfeit his money with magic, and that felt unethical to him. Plus he promised to pay for his roommate. He didn’t realize how much the genie could drink. Shou offered to pay for Ruki’s drinks too.

_ Shou. _

Ruki remembers a crowded dance floor. Strangers bumping against each other in the heat. Their bodies bounced to match the rhythm of bass lines and electronic beats. For some reason he was in the middle of the chaos. Unsure why, until the sensation of another person’s breathe ghosted across his lips.

The blonde felt a wave of heat cross his face as he remembered kissing Shou. He spent a year pining for his attractive coworker, but never acted on his feelings. But the brunette’s lips that pressed against his convinced him Shou felt the same way.

Ruki shook his head and looked around his room again. Everything seemed so normal, how could he be sure it wasn’t just a dream? The idea worried him. But the image of Shou holding onto him was so vivid. And it missed all the weird elements of his normal dreams. 

He reluctantly crawled out from under his warm covers and stretched his legs. He decided to forget his thoughts and just get some breakfast. His bare feet trudged along the cold floors of his apartment as he made his way to the kitchen.

To his surprise, Uruha was already awake and standing at the counter. The mystical being usually loved his sleep and remained passed out on the couch for a few more hours. He was wearing his purple pleather outfit, showing off his thighs again. The genie was busy focusing on something in front of him that he didn’t hear Ruki enter.

The waiter stepped beside him unnoticed. He saw Uruha fumbling with a mug. There were puddles of water all over the counter as well as piles of sugar. The genie mumbled to himself as he stirred a spoon around in the mug, liquid kept splashing out and running down the side of the cup. 

Ruki let a small chuckle escape his lips at the sight. Uruha jumped and dropped the mug to the floor. It shattered and both of them flinched at the sound. The genie looked down at the pieces with wide, surprised eyes. His mouth hung open as he stared at his master. 

“Are you okay?” Ruki stepped around the mess and wrapped his hand around the genie’s arm. It took a moment before Uruha reacted.

“I’m sorry! So, so sorry! I’ll clean it! I should have asked you first! I didn’t mean to do this! I wanted to...I just needed...I…” Uruha rambled and knelt down to pick up the busted mug. He uttered fragmented sentences as he reached for the ceramic pieces.

“Uruha!” The genie flinched at his master’s raised voice. He froze and kept his gaze down. He felt the blonde kneel beside him and began to shiver. Was Ruki mad at him? Did he finally make him angry with his clumsiness? Afterall, he hung out with Shou more than him last night. Maybe he was tired of the genie’s presence.

“Don’t pick up glass. You’ll cut yourself.” Ruki’s voice was calm and soothing. Uruha hesitantly turned his gaze towards the shorter man. He was relieved when he found the usual concern and genuine friendly aura surrounding the waiter.

“I’ll get the broom and sweep this up. Why don’t you wipe down the counter?” Ruki patted the blonde being on the shoulder and smiled. Uruha nodded while Ruki grabbed the broom and dust pan.

After they had everything cleaned up, Ruki grabbed another mug and prepared himself a cup of coffee. Uruha sat in the living room with his shoulders slumped. He worried his plump lips between his teeth.

“What’s wrong?” Uruha jumped for the second time this morning. Ruki stood beside the couch with a steaming mug in his hand. So much was going through his mind, he didn’t hear his master enter.

“Did you cut your hand? Do you need me to get a band-aid?” Ruki set the mug on the coffee table and grabbed at Uruha’s hands, inspecting them for any injury. His pale skin showed no sign of harm.

“No, I’m magical. I can heal myself.” Uruha stated matter-of-factly. Ruki felt embarrassed about his worries.

“Sorry,” the short blonde chuckled. “I sometimes forget you’re a genie.”

His words failed to lighten Uruha’s mood. He noticed the being still chewing his lip and avoiding eye contact. 

“So what were you doing?” He moved to sit beside Uruha on the couch. The genie stiffened and gulped. It took a few moments before he responded.

“I wanted to make you coffee.” His words were whispers. He seemed frightened.

“Really? That’s nice of you!” Ruki was surprised. 

“But it didn’t work out like I planned.”

“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Ruki took a sip of his mug. “But now I have space for a new mug. That one was old anyway.”

“No, even before that.” Uruha let out a frustrated sigh. His hands clenched into fist resting on his thighs.

“Oh.” Ruki didn’t know what to say. It was true that the genie made a mess of his kitchen. The sight of him furiously focusing on making coffee made him laugh. But now, he felt bad for doing so. 

“I made a mess of everything. I just couldn’t figure out how to do it.”

“Why didn’t you just use your magic?”

“Because you hate my magic.” 

“What?!” Ruki exclaimed loudly. His eyes shot open at the accusation. “What makes you think that?!”

“You didn’t let me use my magic to pay for our drinks.  When we are out, I’m not allowed to perform any magic. You never wish anything from me.” Uruha fought back tears. “I wanted to show you I’m still useful. So I wanted to find a way to still serve you, since your my master.”

“No, I don’t hate your magic. And you don’t need to serve me, remember? I’m not your master, I’m your friend.”

“But then what good am I? You found your own happiness last night without my help. I’m useless.” Uruha’s shoulders began to shake. 

Ever since he saw Shou and Ruki kissing last night, he’s been deep in thought. He started doubting himself. A genie is suppose to serve their master and fulfill their wishes. But Ruki never wished for anything, and he was able to accomplish his goals on his own. 

The waiter was so independent. Uruha had no idea what that was like. He’s been dependent on people for his entire existence. His previous masters were dependent on his magic. It was always the same cycle. He even grew reliant on his magic. He couldn’t even perform the simple task of making coffee without making a mess. But now, things were different. And Uruha didn’t know where that left him at.

A stray tear escaped down the side of his face, despite his efforts. Ruki sprung forward and embraced the taller blond in a hug. Uruha buried his face in Ruki’s neck. Tears started to fall free, and dampen the waiter’s neck. He rubbed his hand up and down the genie’s back and rocked him from side to side to calm him down.

“Uruha, I’m sorry.” Ruki’s voice was soothing. He spoke calmly and affectionately. The genie’s sobs quieted down so he could hear his master.

“I never meant to make you feel this way. Your powers are amazing. Remember the first day when you shapeshifted as me? That was incredible.”

“Then why don’t you ever wish for anything?” Uruha’s voice came out in choked sobs.

“Because I don’t want to take advantage of you. My parents raised me to work for a living. I’ve never had anything handed to me. It’s more rewarding to achieve your goal through hard work than to have it given to you. I didn’t realize I made you feel this way. I’m truly sorry.”

Ruki continued to stroke the genie’s back. Uruha pondered the man’s words.

“Then why don’t you let me use my magic in public? I’m a genie, why must I hide who I am?”

“I’m worried. I worry that someone would use you. You shouldn’t be treated like a servant, you deserve better. You are a wonderful, amazing person. Eh, well genie.” Ruki sighed. “I don’t want you to hide who you are, I just want you to be careful of people. Not all of them are trustworthy.”

Uruha let the last of his sobs out. Once he quieted down, and let Ruki’s words sink in, he removed his face. His breathing was still shaky. The blonde waiter continued to hold him in his arms, reaching up to wipe the tears off his cheeks. The genie let a small smile form on his lips at the gesture.

“So, where does this leave me at?” The genie’s voice cracked.

“What do you mean?”

“I just don’t understand what I am to do. Am I still your genie? I’ve never had a master like you before. This is new to me”

“What were your other masters like?” Ruki frowned. From the way Uruha cowered and became frightened when he did something wrong, the waiter could only imagine the past he’s had.

“I don’t remember much from my past.” 

“But what do you remember?”

“It’s mostly fuzzy. I mainly remember the protocol. I grant wishes and once I’m no longer needed, I return to my bottle. If I mess up or get out of line, I am to be punished.”

“Who made up such a thing!?” Ruki scoffed in disbelief. Uruha shrugged. No wonder the genie was feeling down, he’s never known anything else. He probably had a hard time adjusting to his freedom.

“Listen, as long as you’re here, you have your freedom. If there is anything you want to do or try, let me know. I want to help you. You are no longer a servant and can think for yourself.”

“Wha...I...uh...thank you.” Uruha’s mind raced as he tried to fathom what the blonde just told him. The kindness he provided was new to the genie.

They sat in comfortable silence. Ruki sipped at his mug while Uruha let his head rest against his shoulder. The waiter was incredible. Uruha watched the man casually drink his coffee and smile at him. He stared at the wall in front of them with a peaceful, at ease expression on his face. Uruha found himself amazed by the man. He could have anything in the world, yet his humility allowed him to enjoy his life the way it is. 

Uruha eyes traveled to his lips. They were pale, lacking the usual red hues he painted them with. The first time he kissed them, until he was pushed away, they were soft and warm. The feeling was comfortable. The thought of Shou crossed his mind, and he can’t help but frown.

“Hey Uruha.” Ruki broke the silence and the genie’s gaze lifted to his eyes. They were their natural brown color. He didn’t put any colored lenses in yet.

“Hmmm?”

“Do you want me to make a wish?”

Uruha sat straight up and smiled. His eyes sparkled as he practically bounced with excitement. The sad expression from earlier was long gone. Now it was replaced with bewilderment.

“You want to make a wish!?” Uruha let out an ecstatic squeal.

“Yeah, if you are fine with it.” Ruki giggled. Uruha was too adorable when he was excited. The blonde genie nodded and intently watched the shorter man. He waited on the request with baited breath.

“Ok. I wish for you to think about yourself. Think about what you want instead of always worrying about what I want. Allow yourself to be selfish from time to time.”

Uruha’s face fell slightly once he processed what the waiter wished for. 

“That’s not really a wish.” He pouted.

“Yes it is. And you have to do it since _ I  _ wished for it.” Ruki smirked. 

The way Ruki’s mouth twisted into a mischievous grin had the genie staring. He blushed and turned away. He had to stop focusing on those lips. The waiter was full of surprises. He doesn’t remember much, but he knows no one ever wished for anything like that before.

“Can you do that for me?”

“Okay.” He mumbled. The mystical being turned towards his roommate. He couldn’t help but smile and nod.

They fell into another comfortable silence. Occasionally breaking it with a small conversation that would fade into silence again. They enjoyed each other’s presence until Ruki had to leave for work.

* * *

 

The sun was still in the sky, though it was preparing to set. It reflected pink and orange tints off the clouds, painting the horizon. The clouds looked like swirls of sherbet blocking some of the sun’s rays. Uruha stared, fascinated by the sight. 

The genie decided to explore the city while his roommate worked. He didn’t want to spend another day in the apartment alone. Especially when there was an entire world to see. Plus he wanted to fulfill Ruki’s wish. So he decided to do something he wanted. And he felt a new sense of freedom. 

He was wearing his purple outfit, ignoring the stares and whispers. Ruki told him to ignore the strangers. He liked the outfit and that’s all that matters. He smiled at the sunset, it was beautiful. He remembers looking at them a long time ago. But he can’t remember why. He thought someone would always join him, but couldn’t name who.

The fractured memories bothered him. He tried to ignore them, but it frustrated him. Little things here and there would trigger a memory, but he could never get a clear vision of them. And what little he could remember, raised too many questions. Questions he feared the answer to.

He shook his head and turned away from the sunset. The genie continued his walk down the street. He watched the cars drive by. He studied the architecture of each building; so many unique building designs, too bad most of them were runned-down and abandoned. He has been wandering around for an hour and a half. And there was still so much to see. 

Once again, the further he walked from the apartment, the weaker his magic felt. But he was too enraptured with the scenery to really care. He figured if anything happened, he could rely on Ruki. The waiter would find him, or vice versa.

After another fifteen minutes of trekking along the sidewalk, Uruha felt a tingling sensation in the back of his mind. It wasn’t unpleasant like a headache. In fact, he felt this before. It wasn’t strong, but it gave him the same impression as the sensation at the bar last night. It was no doubt something magical. Uruha’s curiosity got the better of him so he decided to follow the sensation. 

He travelled along cracked sidewalks and crowded crosswalks. He avoided dark alleyways, Ruki warned him about them. He followed along unfamiliar streets. He wondered what it could be. Maybe it was another genie? The idea made him smile. If there was another of his kind, maybe he could have a friend for when Ruki worked. It was lonely at the apartment most days.

In no time at all, Uruha’s surroundings were familiar. He found himself standing outside Taboo; the same bar he visited last night. The cursive neon lettering of the sign were on, but didn’t shine as bright as it did at night. And there weren’t as many people standing outside. In fact, it looked pretty empty.

The genie hesitated. 

He looked up and down the street. Strangers walked by and paid no attention to him.  He stared at the entrance to the bar. He wasn’t sure if he should go in. There was no doubt that the magical presence came from inside. But when Uruha thought about last night, he couldn’t help but remember Shou and Ruki kissing. 

He vented to Ruki this morning about some of his feelings, and that made him feel better. The waiter patiently listened and let him explained his thought at his own pace. They came to an understanding. But Uruha kept quiet about his thoughts of Shou. He knew Ruki cared for him deeply and didn’t want to ruin anything. He still didn’t understand his emotions about the new couple, so he decided to keep it to himself. He already bothered the short blond enough.

His eyes scanned the front of the bar. He chewed his lips before he slowly stepped forward. Ruki wished for him to be selfish from time to time and do what he wants. And right now, he wanted to find the source of the weird sensation. 

He opened the door and entered the bar. His eyes adjusted to the low lit atmosphere. The lights were dimmed just like they were the night before. But there wasn’t as many people. The dance floor had a few couples on it, but not nearly the number there was last night. Only a few patrons sat at the bar and in booths. It was too early for the nightlife to begin just yet.

Uruha slowly walked further in. The presence from yesterday was still here. In fact, it felt stronger than before. The sensation wasn’t focused on the bar this time; it came from all sides and surrounded the genie. He didn’t know which way to turn. However, the bar looked just like it did last night, no difference.

He found the end of his trail, but didn’t find any answers to the magical presence. He huffed and walked towards the bartender. He figured if he was led here, he’d order a drink and at least relax. He walked all the way here, he deserved some rest. So he sat on one of the many empty stools near the bar.

After he ordered his drink, the bartender walked away to pour it. While the man’s back was turned, the genie remembered last night, how Ruki refused to let Uruha pay for his own drinks. The genie felt bad, he’s seen how hard the blonde works for his money and how he budgeted and saved. He also remembered that he didn’t have any with him right now and that drinks do in fact cost money. He lowered his head and folded his hands in his lap. It wouldn’t hurt to conjure some right now, right?

He felt the tingling of his powers trail along his arms and stop at his fingertips. A small sparkle of gold flashed from his slender digits and then fizzled out. His magical abilities felt weak and his brows furrowed in concern. He tried again, but managed to produce nothing. All he could do was create a tiny spark between his hands. He sighed and pressed his lips into a frown. He had no way to pay for his drink. He might as well leave.

“Can’t pay for it?” Just as Uruha was stepping off his seat, the bartender returned with his drink. Uruha’s eyes mirrored that of a stunned deer. Did this man read his mind or something?

“Um...yeah. Sorry to waste your time. I’ll just leave.” The genie mumbled and continued his departure.

“Don’t worry about it. We can start a tab for you.” The tanned bartender smiled. But his voice came out in a robotic tone.

“Tab?”

“We keep track of your drinks and at the end of the month you pay us back.”

“What if I don’t pay it back?”

“It’s recommended that you do.” His voice dipped to a more threatening tone. It made a shiver run through the genie. He nodded, afraid of asking any further questions and sat down.

He let the alcohol slid down his throat. It was such a relaxing feeling for him as it washed away some of his nerves. He felt happier the more he drank. There still wasn’t much of a crowd so the only noise was the electronic music blasting from the speakers on the dance floor. His eyes roamed around the bar, maybe he could find the source to the magical presence.

Uruha examined all the different bottles on the shelves behind the bar. Some were so unique looking, he thought maybe they were causing the ethereal sensation. He tried to focus his attention on each individual bottle. None of them had any outstanding presence compared to each other. He was about to turn his gaze elsewhere until a glittering object sitting between two green bottles caught his attention. He squinted to see it more clearly; it was small and easy to miss. 

A silver ring was sitting on the shelf. Uruha stared at it intently. There was something about it that kept his focus. The bartender took notice of his gaze and walked over. He picked up the object and held it in his hand.

“Is this yours?”

“What?” The bartender’s question seemed out of the blue.

“I found this on the floor a while ago. I’ve been meaning to put it in our lost and found. I set it on the shelf there and forgot about it.” The bartender looked at the ring while he was talking in his monotone voice. “With the way you were looking at it, I thought maybe it was yours.”

He held the ring out towards Uruha. The blonde continued to stare at it. It was a silver band with a stud on top. It’s design was simple, yet unique. He’d never seen a ring quite like it. 

“No it’s not mine.” Uruha shook his head. The bartender’s face remained free of any readable expression. He turned away to place it back on the shelf. The genie’s heart clenched. There was something about that ring, he wanted it.

“Um, but I think it was my roommates!” He blushed at his own outburst. The bartender turned around and stared at him. Uruha hoped he didn’t sound too desperate and convinced the robotic man.

“Okay. Here you go. It’s been here for a while. I’m just happy to finally get rid of it.”

“Thanks.” Uruha held his hand out while the man dropped the jewelry into his palm. It was lighter than it looked. He smiled and finished his drink, turning the ring over and over in his fingers. 

Uruha didn’t know why, but he wanted it. The more he examined it, he thought about Ruki. The waiter had a small collection of different rings he wore and switched out each day. Maybe this would be a good gift for him. The thought had Uruha giddy. He wanted to see the shorter man smile at him and thank him for the present.

He hopped off the chair and started towards the door. He held onto the ring tightly in his hand, determined not to lose it. As he walked towards the entrance to leave, a woman was standing to the side.

Her hair was black as ink and covered one eye. The long, fanned lashed of her exposed eye accented the blue irises. She wore a black, Victorian-styled dress that cascaded to the floor. Her large hat matched in color with feathers and a veil pointing off to the side. She had her one arm crossed over her chest. Her lace-gloved fingers of the other hand twirled some of her hair while she stared at the genie.

They way she stood out amongst everyone else drew Uruha’s attention. He didn’t notice her when he walked in though. He tried to keep his head down and hurry home. 

“I don’t remember seeing you here before.” Her voice was quiet but high pitched. Something most people probably found adorable. She no doubt directed her words to the genie.

“Um, yeah. I’m new to town.” Uruha tried to nod and inch away. He didn’t want to be outright rude, but he wasn’t interested in conversation. He just wanted to get back to Ruki.

“Interesting outfit.” Her eyes trailed along the blonde’s figure. Uruha felt uncomfortable under the gaze. Plus the magical feeling inside the bar grew more intense as he stood there, it was almost suffocating at this point. And he still couldn’t find the source.

“Um, thanks.” His voice cracked, showing his unease. 

“Hope to see you around here more. We could use more unique guests.” With that, she pushed herself off the wall and sauntered past the blonde. Her hand lightly brushed his side as she went by and headed towards the bar. Uruha ignored the touch and continued his exit. 

He stomped his way outside and let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He gasped into the cool, night air. The sun had finally set and the streetlights were just turning on. The breeze pushed by his face and he felt like he could breath easily again.

The suffocating magical energy in the bar dulled in the fresh air. Uruha turned around and studied the bar once again. The neon sign’s faint buzzing noise hummed throughout the genie’s ears as he still felt the strange sensation emitting from the building. 

It was such a strange place. Not only did he think it was magical, but the strange woman who appeared out of nowhere frightened him. She didn’t say much, but her presence was enough to make the genie shiver. And then the night before, this was the place where Ruki and Shou kissed.

_ Shou. _

Uruha closed his eyes and forced the image out of his mind. He didn’t understand the negative emotions that name conjured in him. The brunette waiter was nice to Ruki, that’s all that mattered. Right?

The blonde being walked along the sidewalk in the direction of the apartment. He examined the ring in his hand once again. The silver ring wasn’t as bulky as most men’s rings were. He smiled, it looked like a perfect fit for Ruki.

_ I hope he likes it. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya folks! I know this update is a bit later than the others. Sorry (｡•́︿•̀｡) But I think I'm gonna aim to upload at the beginning of the week instead. It's easier to do that based off my work schedule. Hope that's okay.


	5. A Guest

“This is beautiful!” Ruki exclaimed.

It was late at night, he had to stay longer to help clean up the restaurant. Apparently tonight was the perfect time to celebrate a retirement, birthday, and a young girl’s piano recital all at the same time. His feet and lower back ached from the rushing around he did. 

When he walked through the door, he was surprised to see Uruha still up. Usually he’d be sleeping like the dead on the couch by now. But the genie was standing in the doorway with his hands behind his back, smiling proudly. He then flashed the item he was hiding and excitedly declared that it was a gift he got. 

“Are you sure you want to give it to me?” The waiter voiced incredulously. He held the ring between his thumb and index finger. It was different than the others he already had.

“Yeah. I know how you like to wear different rings and hoped you would like this one.” The genie looked like a child who just gave his parents a gift and awaited praise.

“Where on Earth did you get this? I’ve never seen one like it before.”

“The bartender at Taboo gave it to me. He said he found it months ago and was happy to get rid of it.”

“Wow, thank you. I just don’t know what else to say. It’s just gorgeous.” Ruki wrapped his arms around the taller man. The heartwarming action left him at a loss for words. He wished for Uruha to be more selfish, and the genie still thought about him and even got him a gift. 

Uruha reciprocated the gesture and wrapped his long arms around the petite frame of his roommate. His heart sped up as he relished in the warmth of the hug. He was so happy that Ruki loved the gift, more so than expected.

“Why don’t you put it on and see if it fits?” Uruha’s breath pushed some of Ruki’s hair, tickling his ears. They pulled apart from the hug, the waiter’s face a little red. Ruki continued to look at the jewelry, admiring its unique simplicity. Uruha stood beside him, giddy with excitement. He was practically jumping up and down waiting for the blonde to try it on.

The waiter slid the ring on his middle finger. It was tight getting past his knuckle, but overall it fit. A satisfied smile spread across his face as he held his hand up to examine the new addition. The ring radiated a comfortable warmth across his finger. He assumed it was because Uruha had it clasped in his hands for a while.

The warmth then spread across his whole hand. His smile faltered when the heat caused a burning sensation. He let out a loud shriek and went to remove the ring. His other hand burned at the touch and he pulled away, cursing under his breath. 

Uruha quickly jumped to his aid the moment he saw Ruki’s expression change. He reached for the waiter’s hand and felt the scolding touch. He tried to grit his teeth and ignore it. But when he reached for the ring, it caused a searing pain to shoot through his arm. He yelped and quickly withdrew, falling to the floor.

He cradled his arm and laid on the floor, helplessly watching Ruki wave his hand in the air. The short blonde mumbled swears and tried his best not to scream, despite his fears.

A small puff of smoke soon appeared near his hand. Ruki was sure the ring had burned the flesh off his finger clear to the bone. His eyes dilated at the sight, and he felt an immense sense of dread and lightheadedness.

The smoke kept wafting through the air. It thickened and soon encompassed the entire kitchen. Ruki felt like he was about to pass out before he noticed the color of the smoke. Now that there was more, he could clearly see that it changed colors. It was gold and blue, with a sparkle shimmering every once in awhile.

“The ring.” Ruki heard Uruha gasp. Ruki looked and saw how the ring emitted the smoke. The waiter couldn’t see his genie however, due to the cloud he found himself in the middle of.

The burning sensation stopped, much to the blonde’s relief. The ring even felt lighter, like it wasn’t even present on his finger. He chewed his lip as he squinted his eyes. He could no longer see more than a few inches in front of his face. The smoke became so thick that it gagged him and made him cough.

He closed his eyes and knelt to the floor to avoid the bulk of the cloudy mass. The blue and gold smoke made his vision blurry and brought tears to his eyes. He scooted along the floor, feeling around to find Uruha. His fingers grazed against his wooden floor until he felt warm skin.

He touched around and found a large hand. He wrapped his own petite one around the slender fingers he recognized as Uruha’s.

“Ruki?” The blonde still couldn’t see him, but he recognized the genie’s voice.

“I’m right here Uruha. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry. I didn’t know this would happen. I messed up.” There was a detectable whimper in the taller being’s voice.

“It’s okay. We don’t even know what’s going on. Just stay close.” Ruki tried his best to soothe his friend, even though he couldn’t see him.

They held onto each other for another ten minutes. Ruki occasionally opened his eyes to see the sparkles glimmering throughout the blue and gold smoke. It kept swirling around him. Just when he thought there was no end to it, he saw a small clearing to his left. It thinned out and he could see his kitchen wall. 

Slowly, the smoke parted, and Ruki was able to see again. He looked down and was able to see Uruha’s hand in his. He looked up and the genie was completely visible to him. He was relieved to see no harm came to him. Though his eyes were looking off to the side, behind Ruki.

The waiter followed his gaze to the remaining puff of smoke swirling in his living room. He could make out the silhouette of a person obscured by the blue and gold cloud. He let out an audible gasp as his mind worked to comprehend the situation. He remembers being in this situation more than a week ago. Him and Uruha both stared at the mass in disbelief and amazement.

The shadowed figure started coughing. It startled both Ruki and Uruha making them jump. The waiter scooted closer to his genie. Uruha wrapped an arm around him, and almost crouched over him. Ruki never saw Uruha take such a defensive stance before. The genie’s usual smiling face was stern and focused on the stranger. His jawline was tensed as he readied himself for whatever was to come.

The coughing of the strange being continued and his arms were up in the air swinging the smoke away. As soon as he parted the cloud, Ruki saw the distinct features of the man. He had light, brunette hair. His bangs were styled to the side, covering his one eye. A black head band was wrapped around his hairline, with the ends of it swaying behind his ear. The most noticeable thing about the man was the white band he had wrapped around his face, hiding his nose.

He continued to cough and flail his arms around to wave the smoke away from him. Once he did that, Ruki was able to see more of his outfit. He wore a bright white leather jacket. It had patches of what looked like golden snake skins in some areas. The one collar was decorated with multiples pins and buttons; all were either silver or gold. He wore baggy, silky pants along with a pair of combat boots. 

Once he was done coughing and moving around, the stranger turned his attention to the two blondes sitting on the floor. He smiled and took a step towards them. He stopped once he saw the taller man readied himself to pounce.

He held up his arms in surrender, showing he means no harm.

“Who are you and what are doing here?” Uruha let out a low growl towards the stranger. Ruki looked up at his friend, surprised once again by the new side he’s seeing.

“Well, it’s been a while.” The voice of the stranger was low as he flashed a friendly, non-threatening smile at the defensive blonde. 

“You didn’t answer my question.” Uruha’s voice came out flat and he moved his hand to his side. He conjured a small amount of golden energy that crackled inside his palm. He was preparing to attack.

Ruki’s eyes widened when he saw that and shuffled to his feet. Uruha bounced to his, standing beside his master. His chest was pressed flat against Ruki’s side as he held his hand towards the stranger, threatening to shoot at him.

“Wait.” Ruki place a hand on his friend’s shoulder, trying to calm him down. “Are you a genie?” He called to the stranger.

“Yes. I am. Much like your friend there.” He nodded his head at Uruha.

“What are you doing here?” The taller growled once again, wrapping his free arm around Ruki’s shoulders. 

“He’s wearing my ring.” He pointed at Ruki’s hand. 

The waiter looked down and saw the ring still on his finger. To his amazement, his skin looked completely normal. There were no burns or marks from the excruciating pain he received earlier. He examined his hand, seeing nothing out of place.

“Sorry about earlier.” The strangers voice spoke towards the short waiter. “But it was necessary for my own protection. At least no real harm was done to you.” 

The stranger still kept his hands raised and offered a smirk. “You are making me uncomfortable Uruha, please lower your hands.”

The stranger sighed. When he spoke to Ruki directly, Uruha kept his hand firmly held up, aiming at the intruder. The mention of his name made the taller blonde falter in his stance.

“How do you know my name?”

“It  _ has _ been a while, hasn’t it? I’m hurt you forgot about me.” He let out a deep chuckle.

“Uruha, you know each other?” Ruki asked. He looked at his genie and found the taller being frowning.

“No I don’t. At least, I don’t remember him.” A frustrated confusion seeped through him.

“It’s me, Reita.”

“Reita?” Uruha whispered. He tested the name out on his tongue. There was something familiar about saying it. His eyes scanned the man from head to toe. He had to admit, he felt a sense of comfort from the stranger. He tried to focus his thoughts and concentrate on the name.

After a few minutes, his eyes shot wide open. He quickly lowered his hand and pounced at the man. Ruki jumped, scared that he was attacking their new guest. But instead, Uruha was hugging the brunette. 

“Reita!” He squealed. 

“I see you finally remembered me.” He laughed and returned the hug. 

Ruki stood off to the side as he watched Uruha laugh excitedly; tears fell from the genie’s eyes and he looked so happy. His arms were tightly embracing the brunette man. He giggled between his sobs. 

Reita wrapped his arms around Uruha’s midsection. He held the taller genie closer to him, having him lean his head onto his shoulders. He rubbed the blonde’s back in a calming gesture while his thin frame shook with his cries.

Ruki smiled. It was a heartwarming moment the two mystical beings were having, and he didn’t want to interrupt.

* * *

 

“So what were you doing at Taboo?” Ruki asked while placing a warm mug of coffee on the table. 

It was past midnight. After the excitement from earlier, Ruki let the two genies talk and sit in the living room while he showered. He was exhausted from work and then the commotion when he got home didn’t help matters much.

He made some coffee to keep himself awake. He offered some to Uruha and Reita, both declining. He sat on the floor looking up at the two magical men occupying his couch. 

“What?” Reita looked down at the short mortal. 

“The ring, Uruha told me he found it at Taboo.” Ruki pointed to the piece of jewelry sitting on the coffee table in front of them. He took it off once he was assured Reita wouldn’t vanish. 

“Taboo?” Reita furrowed his brow mulling over the word. “What is that?”

“It’s a bar further in the city. It’s pretty old.” Ruki explained.

Then Reita’s eyes shot wide open and he turned to his friend in a state of panic.

“You went into Taboo? Were you alone?!” 

“Yeah.” Uruha answered wearily, unsure if he did something wrong or not.

“Shit. Did he see you?” Reita rubbed his temples.

“Who?”

“Kaya! Who else?” The brunette practically barked at his friend’s innocence. Uruha jumped back. He looked like a kicked puppy. His lips trembled as he had no idea what brought on his friend’s anger.

“Who’s Kaya?” Ruki spoke up. He didn’t like the lack of explanations. Clearly his roommate didn’t know what this new genie was talking about. Reita looked at the two and sighed.

“Sorry. I forgot. Uruha, you really don’t remember anything, do you?”

“No. I get fuzzy bits every now and then, but that’s all they are. Blurs.” Uruha shook his head.

“Hmm….how do I say this.” The nose-less genie chewed his lip as he thought out his words. “Kaya is the owner of Taboo. He’s a genie like us.”

“Oh, so why is it bad if he saw me?” Uruha interrupted. His face brightened at the mention of another genie. A week ago he was feeling alone and outcasted. Now he found himself surrounded by more of his kind. It brought a sense of comfort.

“Man, I can’t believe you forgot even him. He’s dangerous. He caused the deaths of most of his masters.” Reita’s leg nervously bounced as he talked about the man.

“He killed his masters?” Ruki let out a shocked gasp. “Wouldn’t he be freed after killing his first master though?”

Reita shook his head. “No. Did Uruha never tell you the rules of genies?”

“I asked him if he was only allowed to grant me three wishes but he told me there was no limitations. That’s about all I know.” The waiter shrugged and took another sip of his coffee. This was proving to be a long night.

“I don’t remember any rules.” Uruha commented.

“Wow, how much of your memory did they erase?” 

“They?” 

“Nevermind.” Reita waved his hand at his friend. “Anyways, there are limitations to what we can do. Magic is a living entity that we borrow from, so we can’t do anything and everything.”

He leaned forward on the couch, looking Ruki in the eyes. “It’s true we can grant more than three wishes, but a wish cannot interfere with a person’s freewill.”

“And so that means….”

“We can’t make someone fall in love with you and we can’t kill them. Stuff like that.”

“So then wouldn’t Kaya killing his masters be going against the rules? He interfered with their freewill?”

“Yes. But Kaya never killed them himself. He would place them in a dangerous situation that would result in their deaths. But he never used magic to end their lives. Like one time, I think his master wished for a vacation on a tropical beach. So he teleported them to a deserted island with no food, causing starvation.”

Ruki nodded as he listened to the brunette genie. The information was fascinating. He doesn’t remember hearing any of this in  _ Aladdin _ as a child. Then again, he never imagined genies to be real. This only furthered his curiosity.

“What if a genie uses magic to kill their master?” Ruki felt the need to ask.

“That is the worst crime a genie can commit so they are punished.”

“By who?”

“The magic. Like I said, it’s a living entity. If it feels misused, it will fight back.” Reita relaxed into the couch. His arms flailed as he talked, accenting his points.

“So why is it bad if this Kaya saw me? Does he know me?” Uruha finally spoke up. His childlike expression from earlier was gone. He looked at his friend with furrowed brows, struggling to connect dots and comprehend everything.

“Yes actually. And he was on the lookout for you. He’s been trying to find you for decades now.” Reita’s voice rose in volume as he warned his friend.

“Why?”

Uruha’s questioning made the brunette pause. He looked at his feet, examining his boots. He chewed his bottom for a moment before replying.

“I’m not sure. I just know he was.”

“How does Kaya know Uruha?” Ruki chimed in.

“Me and Uruha met him roughly a century or two ago. Time tends to blur when you live as long as us. We met him right before he started killing his masters. He seemed friendly and easy to get along with.” Reita shrugged. “Now, he’s unpredictable. It’s hard to tell what’s going through his mind. It’s like he lost it or something.”

“If you knew he was so dangerous, how did you end up at Taboo?” Ruki repeated his question from earlier.

A small smile formed on Reita’s face. His casual aura was replaced with a subdued sadness. He crossed his arms over his chest. He let a long sigh press through his lips as he closed his eyes.

“Kaya killed my last master.”

A stillness fell over the room. The newly revealed information silenced the two blondes. Ruki sensed the shift in the brunette’s mood and wanted to offer his condolences. But he refrained when the genie started speaking again.

“Twenty years ago, a young kid found the ring. He was a highschooler. The most excitable kid you could ever meet. He had big dreams of being a rockstar. With my help, he dropped out of school and started playing small clubs throughout the city. He didn’t treat me like his servant. And he only used my magic to help him get started. He wanted to work hard on his skill and develop a natural talent. He treated me like his friend.” A tiny smile crawled its way on his face. He fondly looked back on the memory.

“One day he was approached by some record label bigwigs who offered him a deal. He accepted. We celebrated his future success by going out for drinks. We went to Taboo. While I went off to fetch our drinks, the owner started talking to him. I didn’t recognize him at first. But once my master took a sip, I saw his face twist in agony and pain. He was unable to talk and tell me anything.”

Reita paused. He covered his mouth with his hand as he fought back his tears. The memory of that day still hurt him, despite the time that has past. He swallowed the lump in his throat and continued.

“My master fell limp into my arms, he died from poison. I looked up at the owner who only smiled. The smile was so familiar. Then he laughed and I recognized him right away. Kaya took the ring off my dead master and held it in his hand while I was forcibly dragged back into it. That was the last thing I ever saw. I guess Kaya kept me at the bar. I still have no idea why he did that.”

Reita was near tears. He shook his head, laughing at himself. He curled his hands into fists resting on his thighs. He did not ready himself for the pain of reliving that situation. He was struggling to keep himself together when he felt a warm body wrap around him. 

He turned to see his best friend sitting beside him, hugging him. He then felt another presence hug him. This time Ruki stood in front of him, kneeling on the couch to embrace him.

Reita was being comforted by the two blondes. He could not keep it back anymore and allowed himself to cry. He never got time to properly mourn his last master. And that made the pain hurt even more. He let his tears slide down his cheeks and the muffled sobs escape his lips. Ruki rubbed his hands in circles on his back to comfort him. Uruha raked his fingers through his brunette locks in a soothing manner.

“I’m sorry that happened.” Ruki whispered. “But you can stay here. I promise you’ll be safe.” 

The waiter felt the genie’s body shake and let out all his bottled-up emotions. He cried for an hour straight. The two blondes continued to hold him. They whispered their condolences or comforting words every now and then. 

Once his body ceased its purge of despair, Reita brought his hand up to hug the two arms wrapped around his chest. He relished the warmth the two produced and it brought a sense of solace he longed for. He turned to look at the mortal blonde.

“Thank you.”

It was rare to find a human who was so caring towards their kind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEAH! New character! Hope you liked it. Now maybe we'll get some answers about Uruha. ^_^ Thank you all for the support! It's so heartwarming!


	6. A Day Out

“How long does it take to get ready!” Uruha whined.

The blonde genie excitedly bounced around the living room. He giggled as he stepped from one squeaking floorboard to the other. 

“Hold on, I need to find it first!” Reita shouted back at his friend.

It was three days ago that the new genie entered Ruki and Uruha’s lives. The first night was long and full of emotions. They stayed up late, listening to Reita talk. Unlike Uruha, Reita remembered everything about himself and his past. He could recite a list of all his masters; but he stopped after he realized how late it was and remembered how mortals need sleep to function properly.

Ruki apologized for the lack of space in his apartment. Since Uruha was already occupying the couch, Reita had to sleep on the floor. The waiter made sure to go out and purchase a suitable sleeping bag. The brunette thanked him, and assured him it was okay; he didn’t require as much sleep as Uruha who sometimes slept as a hobby.

“What are you looking for?” Uruha shouted as he jumped on the couch. The cushions produced a faint squeak with each of his bounces.

“My ring.”

“What ring?”

Uruha stopped his amusements and went to join his friend. He found Reita in Ruki’s bedroom scouring the top of his dresser where their master kept his jewelry. The two genies planned an outing on the town for the day while the short blonde was working. Uruha was excited to show his friend around. He stopped in the doorway and watched his friend. He never actually stepped inside Ruki’s room when the blonde was away at work. It was out of respect for his personal space.

“Here it is.” Reita held up the silver, single-studded ring. It was the ring he was trapped in. The brunette had asked Ruki to take it off before he left. The waiter obeyed the request without question.

“Why didn’t you want Ruki to wear it? He’s our master.” Uruha felt weird calling the waiter their master after all the times he asked to not be referred to by that name. But the genie used it now for a lack of a better word.

“Because my magic’s connected to it. I don’t want to run into Kaya and be left powerless.” Reita stated as he slid it on to his calloused finger. He spoke like it was obvious. But when he looked up and found his friend’s head tilted to the side in questioning, he realized he needed to explain. Apparently, it was one more thing Uruha had forgotten.

“Our magic is tied to our homes. The further we are from them, the weaker our power is. We cannot conjure or alter anything.”

Uruha stood in the doorway. His lips pursed into a frown as he mulled over the the new information. He thought about the times he’d leave the apartment to explore the city. When he tried to track Ruki and he felt his magic weaken the further he moved into the city. The amount of effort it took to make that small origami crane fly for the little girl at the restaurant. It clicked in his mind and he stared at his friend with wide eyes.

“Is that why I felt weaker!?” Reita nodded and Uruha smiled at the answer to his question. The idea of losing his magic was frightening. But to learn he just needed to keep within a certain distance of his bottle was reassuring.

“So, if I carried my bottle with me, I can still do all the magic I want?” The blonde’s voice cracked with excitement. 

With another affirmative nod from Reita, Uruha sprinted to the kitchen. He frantically opened the cupboards and draws to find his bottle. He pushed aside a few mugs and plates to view the back of the cabinets. The cupboards were mostly empty though. He grew frustrated when he couldn't locate it. He practically searched every inch of the kitchen. He couldn’t remember where Ruki placed it.

“Are you looking for this?”

Reita’s voice startled the blonde. He was on the floor looking under the sink and hit his head as he jumped. He belted out a yelp and rolled on the floor, clutching his head in his hands. Reita stood between the kitchen and bedroom laughing at his friend’s pain.

“Where did you find that?” He winced as he sat up, still rubbing his head. He saw his bottle in Reita’s hand. The brunette was tossing it, flipping it in the air and catching it with his one hand.

“It was in his bedroom.”  

“Oh.” Uruha looked down at his knees. He blushed slightly. His bottle was sitting in the room most personal to Ruki. It made his heart squeeze and smile. The gesture felt special.

“Didn’t you know that? Don’t you go into his room much?”

“Um, no. That’s his space. I don’t want to mess it up.” In truth, Uruha felt weird about snooping around the waiter’s bedroom. He didn’t want to encroach on Ruki’s privacy.

“He’s seems chilled. I bet he wouldn’t mind.” Reita shrugged. 

Uruha stood up and retrieved his bottle. He thanked his friend and averted his eyes. He tried his best to hide his reddening face. He focused his attention on tying the sake bottle to his waist. The ceramic bottle swung and hit against his hip. It looked even bigger tied to his slender frame.

Despite the efforts, Reita took note of his friend’s shyness. He saw the hint of a blush on the blonde’s cheeks. He didn’t want to question it and make him more uncomfortable. But he was theorizing the reasons for it in his head. He had a pretty good idea what brought it on, but decided to pursue that topic another time. 

“Alright, let’s go.” The brunette shouted as he strolled to the door.

Right now, he was eager to see the outside again.

* * *

 

Reita stood on the sidewalk taking in the sights. He last saw the city twenty years ago. In truth, not much had changed. It was still the same layout, there were just more abandoned buildings now. He studied the pedestrians walking by. Some gave them quick side glances; none which looked friendly.

Uruha stood beside the brunette, smiling and spinning around to watch the birds flying overhead. Reita took notice of their attire. It differed greatly from the numerous humans passing by them. The bulk of the people wore simple hoodies and jeans. Reita looked down and found his white leather jacket and shiny silver pants to be a bit too flashy for a casual outing. Meanwhile, the tall blonde beside him was peacefully unaware of the situation.

“Uruha.” 

“Hmmm?” The slender genie stopped his twirling and turned his gaze to his friend, a wide grin plastered on his face.

“I think we need to change. We’re standing out too much.”

“So? Ruki told me who cares what others think. He said my outfit was cool.” The blonde held his head high with pride. Reita had to smile at his friend’s confidence. But right now, he wanted to blend in.

“Well, that’s nice and all. But I think we should change for now. Just to be safe. I don’t want Kaya to see us.”

Uruha pouted. He didn’t want to, he finally built up enough confidence to walk around as he was. But as much as he hated to admit it, Reita was right. They didn’t want to draw too much attention to themselves. He reluctantly nodded and guided the brunette down the street to an abandoned alleyway. He made sure it was safe before walking down it.

They hid behind a dumpster as they transformed their outfits. Within a flash, Reita changed from his heavy jacket and silky pants to a black band t-shirt and black denim jeans. He still kept the band secured around his nose. Uruha had a bit more color to him. He wore jeans with a white hoodie and pink shirt. Uruha was now able to fit his bottle in his hoodie pocket. It no longer bumped obnoxiously against his waist. Both men looked like they could blend into the crowd with much less effort now.

They exited the alleyway and walked with the flow of people. No one eyed them curiously. Reita felt much safer now. If Kaya would try to find them, he could easily pass over them.

“So, where are we going exactly?” Reita spoke up after a few minutes of silence between them.

“Ruki.” 

“What?”

“We’re going to see Ruki.”

“Isn’t he at work? We shouldn’t bother him.” 

“He told me I can stop there anytime! The food is soo good.” Uruha sang the last part. Reita saw the excitement radiate off the blonde. For as long as he knew him, he never saw his friend so happy. But with the memory loss, he could understand why. He didn’t have any memories of his past weighing him down. 

“So, you really don’t remember anything? How do you know we were friends?” Reita’s curiosity got the better of him. He wondered what the extent of the amnesia was. 

“Well, with you I don’t have any concrete memories together.” Uruha paused in his tracks to look at his friend. His eyes were downcast for a bit, but then they lit up with a sparkle as he continued. “But I get these comforting feelings from you. I feel a sense of protection and companionship when I’m around you. You project a sense of trust.”

Reita was taken aback by the honesty. He didn’t expect the blonde to fully answer his question. He anticipated some vague response that led to more questions. It seems like his memories were erased but not the emotions attached to them.

“I’m glad. We were best friends after all.” The brunette chuckled and continued walking, signalling to Uruha to lead the way again. 

“So how come you can remember everything and I can’t?” The tall blonde slightly whined. Clearly his lack of memories led to him being frustrated sometimes. Reita didn’t want to broach such a sensitive topic right now. 

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m smarter than you.” Reita chuckled. He much rather keep the mood between them light and enjoyable. 

“Reitaaa.” Uruha whined and slapped the brunette on his arm. “You’re so mean.”

He chuckled at his friend’s pout. “You’re too easy to tease.”

Uruha continued to lead the way, even though he threw angry glances at his friend. Despite his front, he enjoyed the presence. It was nice to have someone join him on his trips around town.

They arrived to a brown brick building with a green roof. The way Uruha slowed down, Reita guessed this was the place. It didn’t look too outstanding to him. It looked like every other building they passed along the way here. 

“We’re here!” The blonde sang. He started up the walkway until he felt a calloused hand grab his wrist. He turned to look at his friend with confusion.

“What?”

“How do we know this place is safe?” Reita’s eyes darted all around them in paranoia. The last time he went somewhere to eat or drink, it ended poorly for him.

“Ruki’s here.” The slender blonde smiled. “Besides, I don’t sense anything.”

“But what if Kaya is disguising it somehow. He could be in there. Ruki can’t protect you from him. If anything, Ruki would be in more danger than us.” His grip grew tighter as he spoke. It started to hurt. Uruha ignored the pain and studied his friend. 

Reita was so on edge, he slightly jumped at ever sound. Uruha knew Planet  Nine was safe since he’s been here before. But it didn’t seem like Reita would take his word for it. Though, he understood what his friend went through and wanted to help him.

“What would make you feel better?” 

The brunette still held onto the taller one’s wrist. He chewed his lips at the question. He pondered what would make him feel safer before entering.

“Could we, um, walk around it. I think I would feel better if I knew there was nothing outside waiting to ambush us.” Reita averted his gaze to the sidewalk. He felt a bit embarrassed at his show of weakness. 

“Okay.” Uruha responded. His voice showing no mocking tone. “Lead the way.”

Reita looked up and found the blonde smiling. He wasn’t going to tease him or deny him his request. He was actually smiling and patiently waiting.

He nodded and started to walk down the sidewalk. Uruha followed behind him at a comfortable distance. He was grateful for his friend’s understanding nature. Even though they’ve been apart for decades, it’s almost like things never changed between them.

Reita turned to walk down an alleyway. The dirt under their feet was damp and some of it clung to their shoes. It looked deserted down this way except for the the overfilled dumpster pushed against the restaurant.

The peaceful stillness started to ease Reita’s nerves. His worries of running into Kaya faded as he trudged along the alley. The distant noises of the city strangely calmed him down. He listened to the honking and revving of cars. The clomping of footsteps against cement mixed in with the soundtrack. He let out a sigh, enjoying the noises of this world again.

A door swung open and the brunette jumped. He was startled and instinctively stepped back and crouched into a fighting stance. He cursed himself for allowing the quiet to placate him. He should’ve stayed on his toes. Uruha was only a few inches behind him, and remained in his carefree posture. Reita grumbled at his friend’s innocence. He would have to protect him.

The side door to Planet Nine swung open with a small squeak and a brunette man walked outside. He was wearing a white uniform similar to Ruki’s and Shou’s. But his was covered by a stained white apron. 

He had his back turned to the two genies as he grabbed a pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. He placed a stick to his mouth and lit it. He exhaled a plume of smoke and watched it be swept away by the light breeze. 

The worker turned around to lean against the building but jumped at the sight of the two figures. He let out a quiet shriek before his scared face softened as he recognized the tall blonde casually standing in the middle of the alleyway.

“Geez Uruha, do you want to give me a heart attack.” The worker smiled, one dimple appearing on his face. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“You too Kai.” Uruha bowed. He saw Reita relax out of the corner of his eye. At least he didn’t have to worry about him attacking the cook.

“So what are you doing out here?” Kai asked taking another puff of his cigarette. 

“I was showing my friend around.” He pointed towards Reita and Kai’s eyes followed.

The human looked the genie from head to toe and blushed. The majority of Reita’s arms were exposed, showing off his muscular biceps. His eyes traced the veins that trailed down his toned arms. The shirt he was wearing was also hugging his chest nicely. His figure was built, but also lean. Kai turned his gaze to his cigarette as he tapped the ashes onto the ground. He hoped he wasn’t staring too long.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kai.” He had a hard time making eye contact, but he eventually did. He fought to keep the blush from spreading on his face.

After a considerable pause from the genie, he answered. “Reita.”

The genie bowed. He seemed like he didn’t notice the long stare he had just received from the human, or else he ignored it.

“He’s new in town. Just showing him the way around.” Uruha continued. 

“Oh, how long you’ve been here?” Kai turned towards the muscular genie.

“Three days.”

“Well, you’ll need more time than that to get used to everything.” Kai laughed. “If you ever want, I can help you around when Uruha’s busy. I’ve lived here for seven years now.”

“Thanks” Reita offered a small smile. It made a tiny tinge of pink color the cook’s cheeks. Kai coughed to clear his throat before speaking again. He looked a tad bit flustered.

“So, why are you two lurking the alley? Not much to see back here.” Reita stayed quiet, refusing to answer the mortal’s question. He knew to keep his true intentions hidden. Uruha noticed his friend’s stubbornness and tried to jump in with a convincing lie.

“He wanted to see where Ruki works. So I thought I’d take him to Planet Nine.”

“Okay, but maybe you should go inside. The food is better than this dirty alley.” Kai chuckled again. 

“Yeah. I guess so.” 

“Come on through the back, it’s not busy so Shou can seat you with no problem.” Kai stubbed out his cigarette against the brick wall then flicked the butt into the dumpster beside them. “My break is over anyways.”

The genies trailed behind the dimpled-face cook. He led them through the door into the kitchen. It was considerably warmer inside. The heat from all the food being cooked made anyone who stepped foot inside this room sweat instantly. Something the two genies did not expect and immediately wiped at their foreheads.

Reita closed the door behind him and turned around to see a tattooed man staring at him. His hands were wrist deep in a sink and suds were clawing their way up his heavily inked arms. He had his black hair tucked under a hair net. Reita internally readied himself for a fight. He did not like the way this man was staring at him. But his intimidating face softened when he noticed the tall blonde in front him.

“Hey Uruha, how’s it going?” A grin surfaced on his pierced lips. He didn’t speak with the malice Reita anticipated.

“Hi Tora. Pretty good. You?” Uruha sang in a carefree manner. 

“Wonderful.” The sarcasm dripped from his voice. “Who’s the new guy?”

“My friend Reita.” Uruha turned towards the brunette genie. “This is Tora.”

“Nice to meet you.” 

Tora grunted and nodded his head. He continued his work on the cleaning the dishes. He didn’t seem like the talkative type. 

Kai continued to smile and lead them through the kitchen out into the dinning area. Reita’s eyes scanned the area. It was a peaceful setting. Not too crowded, so he examined every patron he could see. None of them projected any danger to them. Reita slowly let his guard down, realizing that Kaya was not in sight.

The pair continued to follow Kai into the lobby. The brunette chef waved to his coworker leaning on the podium. “Hey Shou, can you get a table for Uruha and Reita?”

“Hmm?” Shou looked up and noticed the group approaching him from inside the restaurant. He smiled and had a look of surprise.

“Where do you come from?” He let out a small laugh.

“I brought them in from the back. We’re not busy so I hope you didn’t mind.”

“No, not at all. Are you guys eating here?” Shou continued to smile. 

“Yeah. Hope we aren’t being a burden to anyone.” Uruha spoke, nervously rubbing his arm. His outgoing attitude from earlier faltered. He seemed a bit uneasy. Reita wondered if it was the presence of this brunette worker.

“No worries. Let me get a menu and sit you guys at a table.”

“Good! I’ll see you guys later. I better get back to the kitchen before Tora yells at me.” The dimpled-face brunette giggled and waved as he strolled away.

Reita watched the brunette leave. He was maybe an inch or two shorter than him. He thought about the way the man blushed earlier. He tried to play it off as to not make things awkward. But he noticed, and it brought a small smile to his face. The man was rather easy on the eyes. And his smile was kind of cute. Before Kai went into the kitchen, he turned around one last time. 

The two made eye contact and both quickly averted their gaze. Kai quickly left and Reita felt his insides flutter with nervousness. The man was intriguing to say the least. He planned to ask Uruha about him later.

“This way.” Shou smiled to the two genies as he extended his hand to guide them to the dining area. They weaved through some tables before reaching a booth near the windows. They sat down while Shou placed the laminated papers on their table.

“So what brings you here?”

“He wanted to show me where Ruki was working.” Reita leaned his back against the cushioned booth. The brunette answered before Uruha repeated himself like a broken record to everyone who asked them the same question. The small talk was starting to bore him.

“Oh, you a friend of his too?” Shou cocked an eyebrow.

“Uruha’s actually. Just met Ruki a few days ago.” Reita picked up the menu and glanced over it. 

“I wanted him to try the food here. It’s amazing!” Uruha smiled, looking at his menu.

“I’ll be sure to pass your compliment on to Kai. And I’ll tell Ruki you’re here.” Shou grinned and walked away. 

Once he vanished, Reita looked at Uruha. The blonde was already scanning over the menu. His fingers traced over the pictures of food as he practically salivated. He hummed to himself as he decided.

Reita looked down at his own menu. Unlike the first time Uruha read it, Reita understood everything on it. It wasn’t as fascinating as his friend made it out to be. It looked like the typical choice for a restaurant. He skimmed over it with less enthusiasm than his friend. Carefully deciding on what to have.

He was relieved that they came when there wasn’t much of a crowd. It eased his fears. He tried to keep a protective and calm front. Especially around his friend. He didn’t want to make Uruha worry. But the idea of seeing Kaya again terrified him. He acted tough, but he doubted whether or not he’d be ready to defend himself if he ever ran into the malicious genie. Knowing Uruha entered his lair without realizing it was unsettling.

“Hey guys.”

Reita jumped at the familiar tone. He was lost deep in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the blonde waiter approach them. His heartbeat returned to normal after the slight fright he just received. Across from him, Uruha’s eyes lit up upon seeing Ruki. His smile grew even bigger.

“Hey Ruki, we’re not bothering you are we?” Reita’s voice had a hint of worry in it.

“Not at all. It’s a welcomed break from the usual pushy customers. Besides, I did tell Uruha he’s welcomed here anytime. Same goes for you.” He dug the small pad of paper out of his apron pocket. “So what drinks can I get you guys?”

“Sake?” The blonde genie’s eyes lit up. 

“No, we don’t serve alcohol here. Sorry.” Ruki giggled when he saw the pout on Uruha’s face. His plump lips were extended and his eyes grew wide with hurt.

“Can you get me and ducky here some tea?” Reita spoke without looking up from the menu. He was trying to decide what he wanted to eat.

“Ducky?” Uruha innocently asked. 

“Yeah, with your lips sticking out like that, you look like a duck.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Ruki laughed at Reita’s remark causing Uruha to pout more.

“You two are mean.”

“Oh, don’t be upset. Ducks are cute.” Ruki giggled as he wrote down their drink orders. “Tea alright with you Uruha?”

“Yeah.” Uruha spoke in a much quieter tone and looked down at the menu sitting in front of him. Ruki nodded and left to fetch them their drinks. Once he was gone, Reita finally decided on what he wanted to eat. He looked up to see if his friend had made up his mind. But when he saw Uruha’s face, it was completely red. He noticed the change in his tone earlier. Reita furrowed his brow and worried he stepped over the line with his teasing. 

“Uruha, are you okay?” The blonde kept his head down, but nodded in response. Reita thought this was out-of-character for his friend. He was so energetic earlier, now he was withdrawn.

“I’m sorry if I’d upset you. If you want me to stop teasing you, just tell me.”

“No!” Uruha looked up in shock. His voice came out in a loud shout. He winced and smiled at the few people around them that stared at them. He apologized and turned back to his friend. “No, I don’t mind it. I actually find it funny.” The blush was back on his face.

“Then what’s the matter?”

“Ruki….he said that ducks were cute….and you called me….called me ‘ducky’ so...does that mean…..no, nevermind.” Uruha sighed in frustration and shook his head. Reita studied the blonde’s reaction. He started to put the pieces together and soon realized what was going on.

“He called you cute.”

“Shut up. No. H-he didn’t. It was just, um, he was…” The blushing blonde stuttered and found himself at a loss for words. He didn’t understand how a simple sentence could make his stomach flutter inside.

“You like him.” Reita stated. 

“Of course I like him. He’s my master and friend. He’s never been mean to me. He-”

“No, I meant you have a crush on him.” Reita interrupted the taller genie’s ramblings. “You’ve grown infatuated by him.”

Uruha couldn’t stop the blood from rushing to his cheeks. His eyes shot wide open at his friend’s statement. His mouth hung open. The more Reita’s words rang through his brains, the more he struggled with the idea. 

Ruki was his master, but didn’t act like one. They were friends, and, yeah, they’ve grown close. Their time together was enjoyable and Uruha looked forward to when Ruki was done with work and would come home. They sat on the couch and watched TV together and talked. He felt at ease in the blonde waiter’s presence. Well, he did until a stray compliment was said every now and then. That would always leave the genie’s cheeks stinging. He desperately tried to fight off the notion. But he knew he’d be lying to himself if he completely denied how he felt.

“I, um, well…”

“Here’s your tea.” Ruki interrupted. He placed two mugs on the table with tea bags floating inside them. It was a welcomed distraction for Uruha as he tried to steady his shaking hands around the warm ceramic cup.

“So, have you guys decided on what you want to eat?”

“Yeah, can I get the beef tips with broccoli and a side of split peas.” Reita closed the menu and handed it to Ruki who stuffed it under his arm. 

“Sure thing.” The blonde was scribbling on his small pad of paper. “Uruha?”

The genie jumped at the mention of his name. “Um…..” He spent too much time pondering the compliment he gave him and the accusation from Reita that he didn’t have time to decide on a meal. 

“Was there anything you were wondering about?” Ruki stuffed the pad of paper back in his apron and leaned over Uruha’s shoulder to read the menu. His warm chest brushed against his shoulder. The close proximity sent a shiver through him. He could feel the rise and fall of the shorter’s chest brush against his clothed arm. He didn’t ready himself and was left speechless again.

“I, uh, well, um….” Uruha rambled an endless streams of noises. His mind was trying to catch up to him. Everything was spinning. His cheeks were turning redder and redder by the minute, especially with Reita’s words still ringing in his ears.

“You’re on the dessert menu. Did you want one of the sweets?” Ruki didn’t seem to notice the genie’s distress.

“Yeah…” Uruha couldn’t utter anything longer than a one word reply without a lump forming in his throat.

“Okay, well this here is all the baked goods. And this section here is ice cream.” The waiter’s finger pointed to the menu sitting on the table. Uruha’s eyes focused on the manicured nail. They were painted a matte black with a amethyst gradient. Small specks of white and gold dots decorated them. So much detail was put into each nail, it fascinated the genie. It was so unique, that Uruha thought it was a perfect comparison to Ruki himself. The waiter was like no one he knew; a fascination to him.

“Are you interested in the special?” Ruki’s voice knocked the genie out of his trance.

“Special?"

“The special dessert today is the chocolate chip sundae. Does that sound good to you?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.” Ruki stood straight up again. Uruha’s heart ceased it’s rapid beating now that Ruki was no longer so close to him. The waiter wrote down the order. “The beef tips might take a bit, I’ll wait until they’re done to start on the sundae. I’ll be back.”

With that, Ruki walked off. He went to several other tables before retreating to the kitchen. Uruha kept his gaze down on the table surface. He felt the blush on his face sting and steadied his breathing to make it go away. He didn’t need to look up to see the smirk plastered on Reita’s face. He could sense.

When the genie finally managed to look up, he wasn’t surprised by his friend’s face. Reita had his arms crossed over his chest and was leaning against the back of the booth. His smirk curved to the side as he stared at him.

“Wh-what?” Uruha tried to play it off like it was nothing. But his stutter and forever-reddening face was everything but convincing.

“You are so smitten, it’s adorable.” Reita chuckled deep in his throat. 

Uruha only bit his bottom lip and quickly looked away. His eyes watched the cityscape outside the window. He didn’t try to deny the accusation anymore. He knew he’d be lying to himself. He couldn’t help but find some grains of truth in the brunette’s words. He’d be foolish to keep doubting it.

The fact was, he was in love with his master.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooo~♫ I know this is a day early, but I got a week long vacation from work so I'm hoping to get more chapters of this fic done. ^_^ I know not much happened in this chapter so I hope it wasn't too boring for you. I'm sorry if it was. Anyways, thanks for reading and commenting! It keeps me going! <3


	7. Jealousy

“They come here an awful lot.”

Ruki was returning the menus to the front station when he heard Shou. He turned to look at his coworker. Shou was leaning against his podium, propping his head up with his hand. He was looking far off into the dining area, but Ruki couldn’t tell what he was looking at exactly.

Anytime Ruki appeared near him, the brunette would always make a point to say something. He was always keen to make conversation with him. Though the pair never talked about the kiss they shared at Taboo. There was an awkwardness to how the two interacted. Ruki was saddened by this, though he knew he was probably the biggest reason for this. He wasn’t sure how to act around Shou. Were they dating, or was it just a one-time drunken thing? He didn’t want to embarrass himself by asking. 

“Who?”

“Uruha and his friend.” Shou lifted a finger and pointed to a booth by the window. 

Uruha and Reita had become regulars at the restaurant, since that day the blonde excitedly brought his friend to see Ruki’s workplace. Most afternoons, the two would try to stop in for a meal. But if the place was too busy, they only had a quick snack, nothing too big. And they also paid for their own meals and covered the tip. Ruki suspected they used their magic to create money. 

He confronted them about it. And despite his urging and protests about the technically counterfeit money, Reita showed no sign of stopping. The brunette genie insisted that magic was his own job so the money was earned fairly, or some other insane reasoning he came up with. He was the driving force behind their decision, Uruha following suit. Ruki gave up his battle. Instead of accepting the tips for himself, he’d secretly slipped them into other waiter’s pay. He didn’t want to accept it, but he figured he shouldn’t waste Reita’s conjured currency.

“Reita.” Ruki straightened the the pens that were laying haphazardly by the menus. The mess was bothering him.

“What?”

“Uruha’s friend. His name is Reita.”

“I think those two come here everyday.” Shou still remained perched on the podium. “Are they bothering you?”

“No. I enjoy their visits. It’s nice that Uruha has someone to talk to while I’m at work.”

“You talk as if he’s a pet.” Shou chuckled.

“I just worry about him.” Ruki hid his irritation. He felt like Shou had just insulted Uruha, but wasn’t sure if he truly did.

“Why do you worry about him so much? He’s a grown man who should be able to handle his own.” Shou kept his voice level. 

“Because he’s my friend.” Ruki innocently responded. It was the truth. He considered Uruha a dear friend to him, despite the short time they’ve known each other. The moment the slender genie puffed into existence, Ruki worried about him. Especially with the memory loss. Anything could happen in this city, and he wanted Uruha to be safe.

“Then what am I?”

“What?” Ruki curiously turned towards Shou, having finished his straightening of the tiny mess.

“What am I to you?”

“I, um…” Ruki’s mind blanked. He wasn’t sure how to reply. He just spent the last year and a half crushing on Shou. And then they kissed not too long ago. He should be elated. This was the perfect time to confess his feelings and tell him what that kiss meant to him. But his brain had other plans and shifted to autopilot. “You’re my coworker and friend.”

Shou clicked his tongue loudly and shifted his gaze towards the door. He was looking out the glass windows, watching a car drive by every few minutes. His face twisted into a scowl and he bit down on the inside of his cheek.

“Whatever.” His voice was low, dripping with irritation. His hand drummed against the top of the podium absentmindedly. “I see how it is.”

“What?” Ruki stepped closer. He kept himself from shaking. The situation was not turning out like he’d hoped. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing apparently.” The brunette waiter’s voice rose a bit in anger. A few eyes from the dining area turned their way curiously.

“You’re upset. I’m sorry. Maybe we should talk somewhere more private?” Ruki wasn’t keen on having every stranger eavesdrop on his business.

Shou huffed and pushed himself off the podium. He led the way through the kitchen and out the door to the back alley. Before he closed the door behind him, he called out to Kai and Tora in a rather harsh tone. “We’re taking a break. Someone needs to watch the front.”

Shou slammed the door shut making Ruki jump. The blonde nervously fidgeted with the rings on his fingers as his eyes looked down at his feet. His stomach was doing somersaults. The tension in the air was thick, it choked him.

“So…” Ruki licked his lips. “Nice weather today.”

“For fuck’s sake, Ruki.” Shou’s voice bounced off the walls, echoing through the alleyway. “I didn’t bring you out here so we can talk about the weather.”

Ruki flinched. He knew the reason he was outside. He wanted to reach into his pocket and pull out a cigarette. He thought nicotine might ease his nerves. But he already pissed his coworker off twice now. He decided to hold off on his craving.

“What am I to you?” Shou sighed, repeating his question from earlier. His shoulders slacked as he crossed his arms and leaned his back against the brick wall behind him. This time, he spoke with a small, twinge of sadness in his voice.  “I’ve been asking myself that since we all hung out at Taboo. That night…I don’t know if that meant anything to you. I was hoping it did, but I feel like you’ve played it off like it was nothing. So I’ve been asking myself, did it mean anything to you?”

“I, uh, yeah.” Ruki swallowed. He turned towards the brunette, but continued looking down at his feet and hands. He was too afraid to make eye contact.

“So then why don’t I believe it?” Shou’s words cut through Ruki’s heart. His guilt was immeasurable as he realized how he’d been treating his crush. 

“When I woke up the next morning, I feared that it was just a dream. That it didn’t really happen. There was no way I could be that lucky.” Ruki lamented. 

“But it did happen. We made out on the dance floor. If it didn’t, then I had the same dream.” Shou let out a bitter chuckle. Ruki was finding it easier to look towards the brunette the more they talked. The tension and irritation was slowly dissolving.

“Well, I hope you also didn’t have the dream where you eat a snake while wearing oven mitts. That one is weird.” Shou let out a laugh. Ruki finally managed to look the brunette in the face. He was relieved to hear the laugh and see a smile on Shou’s face. He shook his head and wiped a tear from his eyes.

“Please, be serious Ruki.” Shou let a few more giggles out.

“Sorry. I just never found myself in this type of situation before.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve never liked someone before. I don’t know how to talk or continue things. I mean, we have to start going on dates, right? And then what am I to call you? You are no longer just my friend. But, we never agreed to go steady so that doesn’t make you my boyfriend.”

Ruki’s rambling was cut short when he felt a set of lips descend onto his from above. His eyes were wide open as he saw Shou’s face in front of his. The brunette’s lips glided against his with ease. Shou’s arms wrapped around the shorter man’s waist and brought him closer. Ruki could feel the rhythm of Shou’s heart beating, soothing.

The blonde basked in the warmth as their kiss deepened. Shou brought his tongue to lick at Ruki’s lip, before the blonde slightly parted them allowing access to the inside of his mouth. Their tongues massaged against each others, causing a muffled moan to escape the short blonde’s throat. He was growing lightheaded at the lack of air and had to be the first to break away, even though he wanted nothing more than to continue.

Ruki panted as Shou brought his hand up to cup his cheek. “You can just call me Shou. There is no need to worry about labels or protocols. We’ll do things our own way. The way that makes us happy.”

The blonde leaned into the waiter’s hand, smiling. All his worries seemed to vanish at Shou’s words. He felt silly for fretting over every little detail of courting someone. All that mattered was that they were happy, who cares what they did. 

“So, what do you say? Do you want to give us a try?” Shou asked, rubbing his thumb absentmindedly against Ruki’s soft skin. The blush on his cheeks made him warm to the touch.

“Hell yeah.” 

Both of them laughed as they stood in their embrace. They held onto each other tightly in the alleyway, ignoring everything around them. Ruki was lost in the warm feeling of Shou. A year and a half, and he found himself in a relationship with his crush. He was shaky on how to date, but he didn’t care. They would figure something out.

* * *

 

“Here you go. Sorry for the wait.” Kai was out of breath as he set two bowls of soup on the table.

Reita and Uruha turned towards the cook, surprised to see him. The restaurant wasn’t busy, but the pair had been waiting over fifteen minutes for their soup. Not that they minded, they were immortal and time meant very little to them. But Reita wasn’t about to say that to the winded brunette.

“Oh, it’s no problem. Where’d Ruki go?” Reita looked around to try and spot the familiar waiter. But he saw no sign of him.

He has spent the last few days teasing his best friend about his crush on the waiter. That’s why he was so eager to go to Planet Nine everyday. He’d get a chance to joke about the way Uruha looks at Ruki. It was too adorable, he had to mention it. 

“Him and Shou stepped out for a minute. And since Tora refuses to leave the kitchen, I got stuck covering for them.” Kai nervously chuckled and bowed his head in apology. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that. I don’t mind covering their positions. They both work hard and deserve a break every once in a while.”

“They stepped out?” Reita cut Kai off. 

“Yeah, Shou seemed upset about something. He dragged Ruki outside behind him.” Kai crossed his arms and looked to the side, staring at a wall in thought. “Hopefully they work it out.”

“Work what out?” Reita was confused. He didn’t follow what the brunette was saying about the pair. He turned to Uruha, hoping to find some sort of answer from his friend. Instead, he found the blonde looking down at the table; refusing to make eye contact with anyone. He looked uncomfortable as he shifted in his seat and tried to hide his red cheeks behind his blonde hair.

“Their relationship. They’re so cute together.” Kai was brought out of his thoughts and looked back at the genie. He smiled as he talked about the two waiters.

“What relationship? They’re dating?!” Reita’s voice rose a bit in volume. It made Kai flinch and his grin falter. The way the brunette genie reacted to the news made Kai worry.

“Didn’t Ruki tell you?” The cook’s voice came out in a shy squeak. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you felt that way about Ruki. If I would’ve known…”

“No!” Reita shouted stood and almost knocked over his bowl. Luckily, Uruha reached over in time to keep the bowl steadied. 

Reita was standing next to a blushing Kai. The few patrons sitting at the neighboring tables curiously looked in their direction. Reita blushed at the attention. He didn’t mean to react so hastily, because now he had just embarrassed himself. He coughed to clear his throat and try to calm himself.

Kai was blushing furiously, and shyly holding the serving tray against his chest. Reita’s outburst startled him and made him subconsciously take a step back. He also noticed the stares of the other customers. He never left the kitchen much, so he was dumbfounded on what to do.

“Sorry.” Reita mumbled. He remembered to use his inside-voice again. “I didn’t mean to cause a scene.”

He bowed and tried offered a small smile to the startled chef.

“I don’t feel anything like that towards Ruki. He’s just a friend. I was just surprised to find out he was already seeing someone.”

“Oh, okay.” A spark of relief could be seen in Kai’s eyes as he loosened his tight grip on the metal serving tray. “To be fair, I don’t really know if you can call what they have a relationship. They kissed one time, and both are too chicken to talk to each other about it.”

Kai laughed and shook his head. Reita joined in with the laughter, but faked it. He didn’t know Ruki was seeing anyone. Now he understood Uruha’s uneasiness around their master at times. They had a chemistry with each other that could make any single person jealous. But to know that his best friend had fallen into unrequited love, it hurt to see his friend suffer.

“Well, I better get back to the kitchen. They’re break should’ve been over five minutes ago. I’ll have to ask Tora to drag them back in here.”

Kai waved as he walked towards the back of the kitchen. Reita returned to his seat. All the other customers, finally minding their own business, no longer looked in their direction. The brunette looked at his friend, his face painted with sympathy. Uruha hadn’t looked up, not after he stopped Reita’s bowl from spilling all over the place. 

“Hey.” Reita whispered. He reached a hand out to touch his sulking friend’s arm. Uruha still kept his gaze down.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” He tried to comfort his friend.

“It’s not your fault.” Uruha croaked. His voice quivered with sadness. 

“Uru, are you okay?” The nosebanded genie was startled by the pitiful sound his best friend made. 

“Why would I be?” The blonde finally looked up. His face was flushed a deep crimson and long streams of tears ran down his cheeks. His face was twisted in a pained expression as he finally gazed at his friend. 

Reita let out an audible gasp. The surprise of finding his friend in such a state made a pit of guilt form in his stomach. He had spent so long teasing Uruha about his crush on Ruki, even though he didn’t know all the details of the situation.

“Ruki is happy, so I should be too! But I’m not. He has Shou to make him happy, so what good am I? He doesn’t even use my magic.” Uruha whimpered. He tried to keep his voice low as to not bring attention to them again.

“Hey, don’t talk like that. Ruki cares for you. You know he does.”

“Then why do I feel this way? I’m useless and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“No you’re not.”

“I think I need some air.” Uruha stood up quickly; silencing his friend from speaking further. 

“Okay, I’ll join-”

“Actually, I think I want to be alone right now.” The blonde cut his friend off and briskly exited the dining area and restaurant.

Reita sat by himself. Everything happened so fast, he had to take a moment to collect his thoughts. It was odd to see Uruha’s mood turn so suddenly. The blonde had been smiling since he showed up. Now he blamed himself for his whimsical friend’s misery. No wonder Uruha was so adamant on admitting his feelings. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He felt like a terrible friend at the moment.

“Hey Reita.” The friendly voice of a waiter made the brunette instantly stop his sulking and turn towards the mortal. He smiled, despite not feeling too jovial at the moment.

“Sorry about earlier. Is everything alright? Your soup good?” Ruki spoke with friendly professionalism. Reita looked at him, confused until he comprehended the question. He stumbled in his answer, considering he hasn’t had a chance to even try his lunch yet.

“Oh, yeah.” He lied.

“Where’s Uruha?” Ruki looked at the empty spot across from the brunette. Reita’s mind was reeling as he tried to think of a convincible cover. He wasn’t about to tell Ruki that Uruha left crying over him.

“He went to the bathroom.”

“I didn’t know genies needed to do such things.” Ruki tilted his head in curiosity. The genie felt like he was sweating bullets as his mind worked overtime to cover up his friend’s whereabouts.

“Well, you know Uruha. We don’t need to sleep but he naps more than me and you combined.”

“True.” Ruki laughed. Reita felt a wave of relief wash over him as the waiter bought his lie. The brunette even allowed himself to laugh at his own joke.“Oh, I wanted to tell you guys I’m gonna be late coming home tonight.”

The laughing stopped. Though Ruki was still smiling, a small blush was dusted across his cheeks.

“I’m going on a date with Shou. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, so you have the whole place to yourselves.”

“Oh,” Reita felt his heart twist in agony for his friend. This was like adding insult to injury. But he had to be happy for his master all the same. “Um, well don’t worry about us. We’ll manage. Enjoy yourself.”

“Thank you.” Ruki bowed his head. “Well, I should get back to work before Tora scolds me again.”

He waved as he stalked over to another table to check on the customer. Reita now looked at his soup, having lost all his appetite. 

_ Shit. _

How would he explain Ruki’s lateness to Uruha? Plus when the blonde would get home, he’d probably talk about his date, so there was no point in lying. He wracked his brain as he tried to think of what to do. If him and Uruha stayed home, his friend would probably spend the whole time sulking. He needed to find a distraction.

“I’m so sorry!”

Reita’s head whipped up. He had his hands folded in front of him in thought until the brunette chef from earlier returned. He looked a little winded as he held a plate in his hand. 

“I’m sorry. I forgot Uruha’s sandwich. It was sitting back there and I had no idea why. Then I realized what it was and...just sorry. I guess there’s a reason they keep me in the back.” Kai laughed at himself as he set the plate next to the bowl on the otherside of the table.

“Oh, no you’re fine. Thank you.” Reita nodded his head. Kai exhaled a breath after his long apology. He smiled. He turned to walk away, but just then an idea just popped into the genie’s head. 

“Wait.” Reita called after him, stopping the brunette in his tracks. “What are you doing tonight?”

“Um, nothing much. Why?”

“Uh, me and Uruha are kind of bored and was wondering if you’d be free to hang out tonight. We just don’t want to sit at home again.”

“Oh.” Kai’s dimpled smile faltered a bit. No doubt, he was expecting a different answer. Reita cursed himself internally. But he wanted to make sure Uruha was okay. He’d worry about his own wants later.

“Sure, that sounds like fun. Any place you have in mind?” Kai scratched at the back of his hand.

“You choose. I don’t know all the fun places around here yet.” Reita casually spoke. He had no plans, apart from getting out of the apartment.

“Have you ever been to Taboo? That’s where a bunch of us go after work sometimes. It’s a nice bar with great drinks.”

“Uh…” Reita tried to silence his fears. Of course Kai didn’t realize the dangers of that place, he was human. But the genie didn’t want to raise any suspicions. He just said he didn’t know the city, it’d be suspicious if he objected the suggestion. He decided to smile and just roll with it. “That sounds like fun.”

“Great. Do you mind if Tora comes too? He can handle his alcohol better than me and knows when to cut me off.” Kai giggled. 

_ Damn, you’re adorable. _

“Yeah, whatever you want. We’ll meet you guys there about six-ish.” Reita shrugged.

“Okay. I’ll let Tora know. See you then.”

Reita was left to sit in his own silence again. His heart was racing and his palms were getting clammy. He had just agreed to return to his prison for the last twenty years. A place he told Uruha to never, ever return to.

He hoped he didn’t just make matters worse that they already were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry to the Uruki fans, this chapter wasn't too kind to the ship. I'm a monster, I know. (≧ヘ≦ ) I hope the ReitaxKai makes up for it.


	8. Kaya

“What time is it?”

“It’s only 5:30.” Tora chuckled as he looked at the time on his phone. “Someone is eager, huh?”

“Shut up. I was just curious.” Kai giggled and slapped his friend’s arm.

The two restaurant workers were sitting at a table near the entrance of Taboo, the bar Reita agreed to join them at. They managed to clock out early, and decided to head to the bar instead of straight home. They were still in their work clothes, minus the aprons. Every time the door would open, Kai would turn around to see who it was entering. Each time, his hopes would fall as a stranger walked past.

“Are you sure you don’t want the seat facing the door? I keep thinking you’re gonna break your neck with all that turning you’ve been doing.” Tora snorted as he took a sip from his glass.

“Shush your mouth. If you keep this up, I’m leaving.” Kai teased.

“Oh, I don’t think you will. Not when Reita is gonna be here.”

“What? How did you know?” Kai spluttered. His face instantly heated up.

“You are painfully obvious, just like Shou and Ruki. He’s the only customer you volunteer to hand deliver to.” Tora took another sip of his drink. He hid his smirk behind his glass as he watched his friend shift in his seat. 

“Well, yeah. Have you  _ seen _ him?” The brunette cook sighed wistfully. “Do you think he may be interested in someone like me?”

“Kai.” The tattooed man gulped more of his drink down. His voice was serious, despite the smirk still plastered to his face. “You spend too much time pairing other people up. It has made you blind to the obvious.”

“What’s obvious?” Kai innocently asked. He didn’t follow Tora’s train of thought.

“Reita is into you. I don’t think you will have a hard time getting his attention. Just ask him out on a date, and I bet you any money he says ‘yes.’” Tora laughed and leaned against the back of the chair. 

“How much money?”

“What?” It was Tora’s turn to be confused.

“How much money you wanna bet?” Kai’s dimple appeared, as his face was twisted into a mischievous expression. The brunette always managed to keep the mood light; he was a charismatic man who managed to keep his friends entertained. This wasn’t the first time he wanted to bet on something random.

“You do realize that if he agrees to go out with you, you’re gonna have to pay  _ me _ , right?” 

“Yeah, that’s usually how bets work.” Kai’s tone was sarcastic. “How about $20. That sound good to you?”

“God, this is a boring bet. I know I’m gonna win.” The tattooed dishwasher groaned. With his arm propped up on the table, he rested his head in his palms while they waited.

“Either way it plays out, I win too.”

“What you mean?” Tora watched the mischievous expression never leave his friend’s face.  

“Now I no longer fear rejection, cause there’ll be a monetary reward for my failure!” The chef threw his arms in the air signaling victory.

“And if I win the bet, you lose money but get a boyfriend. Heh, you sneaky bastard.”

Tora applauded his friend’s way of thinking. He removed all negative outcomes to his situation. Though Kai smiled and looked relatively harmless, in actuality he was ruthless and malicious at times. 

The two workers laughed and chatted while they waited for their genie friends to show up. As it got closer to the time they agreed upon, Kai would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous. Part of him hoped Reita would show up. He worried that maybe some last-minute excuse would come up and this get-together would end up just being Kai and Tora.

The bar was getting busier, especially since happy hour was about to start. The bar was getting crowded as the dance floor was soon packed with people. The two men had to raise their speaking voices to be heard over the noise the place started to produce.

Soon, Kai heard the door open again. He couldn’t help himself and he turned around to look again. Only this time, his heart skipped a beat as he finally saw the two immortals arrive. He waved for their attention.

Uruha was the first to walk towards the table, Reita’s head turned as he looked over the bar quickly. Kai assumed he was looking around, since he’d never been here before.

The pair pulled two chairs to their table. Uruha sat next to Tora while Reita joined the cook on the other side. The pair were also dressed differently, more so than Kai ever saw.

Uruha was wearing thick-rimmed glasses and had his blonde hair feathered around his face. He wore a black blazer over a thin white shirt. The dropping v-neck showed off his thin, washboard-like chest, his skin looked even paler against the black scarf loosely swinging around his neck. He crossed his legs as he sat, his boots sticking out from under his black, bootcut pants.

Kai figured both men must favor the color black, especially with Reita’s getup. The brunette was head to toe in black. Pants, boots and the hooded jacket he sported all matched. He had the hood pulled up, covering most of his face. If it wasn’t for his lips and the small scrap of a white noseband sticking out, Kai wouldn’t know who it was.

“Glad you two decided to show up.” Tora chimed as the pair sat down.

“Oh, are we late? I thought we were on time.” Reita turned towards Kai. The cook thought he saw some redness on Reita’s face, but wasn't sure due to the hood. He was use to not seeing the man’s nose, but not seeing his face seemed cruel. He liked looking at it.

“No. You’re right on time actually. We were just here early.” Kai patted the man on the arm.

He felt Reita flinch at the touch. The nose-less brunette seemed tensed. His posture was rigid and stiff. His head jerked from side to side constantly. No one could see, but his eyes never rested on one spot too long. He was on edge.

“I’m gonna get a drink.” Uruha almost sang as he quickly stood up. He smiled brightly as he jolted towards the bar. He sure loved his alcohol.

“Uru, wait!” Reita called after him and followed suit. He stood up and took a step in his friend’s direction. He paused and turned back around to the humans sitting at the table. 

“I’m sorry. Kai, did you want anything?” Reita’s sudden question made the brunette jump. It took his brain a minute to catch up with him. 

“Uh, can I have a wine spritzer?” He managed to contain his joy and answer properly. His heart was beating wildly at the idea of Reita getting him a drink. 

“Okay. Tora?”

“No thanks. I know where the bar is.” Tora raised his glass. Reita nodded his head at both men and continued his trailing of Uruha. The blonde was already at the bar, having ordered a drink. 

Kai and Tora were left at the table. The brunette looked down, trying to hide his uncontrollable smile. He felt a giddiness crawling inside of him. 

“Man, this will be a boring bet.” Tora sighed.

“For you maybe.” Kai giggled. He could feel the sting of a blush upon his cheeks. But at this point, he didn’t care as he no longer felt the need to hide it. He looked up at his friend.

“Yeah. Do you have your wedding already planned out?” Tora quipped. His sarcasm was something his friend’s grew use to.

“Shut up. I haven’t even asked him out yet.” Kai laughed again and reached over to slap the dishwasher’s arm again. Tora was taking a sip from his drink, so Kai’s hit made him splash some of it onto himself. This caused an uproar of laughter to escape between the two.

They continued their joking banter. Time sped, and they realized Reita had yet to return to the drinks. Once they reached a lull in their conversation, Kai turned his head in the direction of the bar. He pursed his lips into a frown at the sight.

Reita was standing next to Uruha, but there was the addition of one other person. It looked like a woman, and from her stance, she seemed to have a flirty air around her. Kai felt a spike of worry and jealousy. The woman was attractive, without a doubt. It made him feel a bit self-conscious. He considered himself plain and average next to her.

The woman wore a flowing black dress with a corset around her middle. The top was trimmed with a multitude of black feathers that contrasted greatly against her pale skin. Her right arm was consumed by a black mesh sleeve attached to the dress while her left was adorned by a black satin glove that ran up the entire length of her arm. Her hair was messily styled up, leaving stray strands to fall around her face.

Kai’s jealousy quelled when he noticed her deep blue eyes were focused on Uruha more than Reita. Her dark lips curled into a smile as she spoke to the blonde. She turned her back towards the table, blocking most of Kai’s view. But from what he could gather, there was no need to worry. He figured the woman was flirting with Uruha.

“Looks like Uruha might be a hit with the ladies.” Tora snorted. His comment brought Kai’s attention back to their table.

“Yeah.” Kai muttered. He eventually pried his eyes away from the scene; no longer feeling any threat from the woman. Reita was safe.

The two mortals continued their conversation and banter while waiting for their friends to return. Eventually, the woman left. Kai didn’t see where she went. It was almost like she vanished. But the two genies returned to the table. Reita obediently handed Kai his wine spritzer, apologizing for the wait.

Reita was beside Kai again, only this time he sat closer to the brunette. Kai was elated at the fact. Uruha slumped in his chair. He had a lackluster smile painted on his face and his drink was gripped tightly in his hand.

“So Uruha, did you get her number?” Tora nudged the blondes side with his elbow. Uruha jumped at the touch and stared at the tattooed man. His mouth was slightly parted as he concentrated on the man and processed what he was talking about. After a minute, he finally spoke.

“Oh, um, no.” Uruha stumbled over his sentence. “I, uh, I told her I wasn’t interested.”

“What?” The tattooed dishwasher scoffed in disbelief.

“But she was pretty, Uruha. Didn’t you think so?” Kai tilted his head as he spoke. He sounded like a mother trying to convince her child to eat their vegetables.

Uruha looked down at his drink. His eyes had bags appearing under them, a wave of exhaustion hit him. He picked up his glass and chugged his drink. It was emptied in a matter of seconds. 

“I’m gonna get another drink.” Uruha quickly spoke and stood. He rushed to the bar again. Only this time Reita didn’t follow. He stayed by Kai’s side, even resting his arm against the back of the human’s chair.

The night went on and Tora was the first to leave, complaining about an early morning shift the next day. That left Kai and Reita by themselves at the table; Uruha remained at the bar. Kai excitedly talked to Reita, telling him about the different places of the city, and where the funnest clubs were. The brunette genie listened intently, but never relaxing to the point where he was comfortable. His head always turned at a sudden noise.

At some point, Kai worked up the courage and asked Reita out on a date; asking if he wanted to go to one of the places they talked about together, just the two of them. The genie agreed of course. The idea of spending time with Kai exclusively made his hidden face heat up. The genie was a bit shocked by the human’s forwardness. But he admired it at the same time. Reita still remained tense, however. 

As it got later, they agreed to call it a night and head home. Kai left to drive home.He offered a ride to Uruha and Reita, but they declined. Reita insisted that he enjoyed walking home instead.

The whole evening was a blur. Reita and Uruha walked in silence. The hooded genie kept his eyes peeled for any chance of danger. He wouldn’t let his guard down until they were safely back in Ruki’s apartment. Uruha kept his eyes downcast. Watching his feet drag along the cement. 

Uruha was already feeling down. But now, tonight’s outing made him feel even worse.

* * *

 

“I’m gonna get a drink.”

Uruha excitedly eyed the bar and sprinted. It was growing crowded and he wanted to secure a spot at the bar. He loved the alcohol here. The last two times he visited he ordered drinks he hadn’t had for years. He ignored his best friend calling his name. 

He reached the bar and asked for a rare kind of sake. And much to his surprise, they had it. The promise of alcohol temporarily overpowered his worries about Kaya. He hadn’t seen the man Reita warned him about when they entered, so he shrugged it off. He was here to take his mind off Ruki, and he was determined to do so. If Reita dragged him out of the apartment, he was going to be selfish and do what he wanted; even if that included drinking.

“It’s dangerous to run off like that.” Reita scolded his friends as he took the spot beside him. Uruha was already gulping down his drink. The liquid burning his throat in the most enjoyable way.

“I was thirsty.” Uruha lied. He took another swig and scrunched his face up at the taste. It was good, but powerful.

“Uruha, I know you’re hurting. But please, don’t let that make you careless. You’re still my friend and I don't want to see you hurt.”

“Too late.” The blonde hurriedly downed another glass. The amount he was drinking would be alarming to humans, but not him. Having his friend beside him didn’t ease his troubled emotions. He appreciated the worry, but at the same time he hated the pity. It made him feel small.

“Can you at least slow down? For me?”

_ Dammit. Why do you have to say it like that? _

Uruha internally cursed. He couldn’t deny his best friend. Uruha nodded and placed his glass down. He refused to look anywhere but his drink. He hated the way he was feeling and acting. But he didn’t know how to cope with these emotions. Not properly anyway.

The noise of the bar room filled the silence between the friends. Reita proceeded to order a wine spritzer for Kai. When the bartender turned his back to retrieve the alcohol, a small high-pitched voice spoke behind them.

“You’ve changed your looks.”

Both genies turned around, curious to see if the statement was directed towards them. Uruha looked and found the same strange woman he met at the bar those few weeks ago. She still had the same color scheme of black. Her eyes still kept their piercing blue gaze. He didn’t think much of her. He forgot about her after their encounter, she was just a weird bar patron.

But his nonchalant attitude changed when he turned to see Reita tense up beside him. The brunette’s hand was in a fist behind his back. And Uruha could see his friend’s knuckles turning white.  _ Did he know this woman? _

“It’s rude to ignore a lady.” She chirped. Her dark lips twisting into a grin. She sauntered her hips from side to side as she walked closer. She hovered more so near Uruha. “I was hoping to see you again. I see you put that ring to good use.”

Uruha nervously licked his lips. Was this woman flirting with him? He was not interested by no means, but he still couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable at the advances. He was thinking of a polite way to turn the woman down. But that line of thought stopped as he listened to what she said.  _ The ring? _ She knew about the ring Uruha took home. But he never showed it to her. He couldn’t figure out how she would've known about it. Unless…. Well, there was only one other option.

“Kaya.” Reita’s voice confirmed Uruha’s question. Almost like he could read the blonde’s mind. 

“We do not want any trouble.” Reita’s voice was serious and low. 

“Well, neither do I. That would make my little establishment look bad.” The woman, who was now identified as Kaya, giggled. “And, I don’t think you want those humans over there to find out the truth about you two. So I wouldn’t try anything either. For your sakes.”

Reita gasped. Kaya nodded his head in the direction of Tora and Kai. From under his hood, Reita peaked at the table. Tora was laughing and taking a drink from his glass. Kai was turned in their direction, clearly looking at them. Kai’s usual, dimpled-sunshine smile was replaced with a worried frown. The genie cursed himself for agreeing to this outing. Kaya clearly already found a weak spot for them.

“What do you want?” The hooded genie tried to keep his body language civil. If anyone looked their way, they wouldn't realize an age-old resentment laid between the two.

“Uruha.” Kaya smiled and turned towards the blonde. He brought a slender finger to brush against the blonde’s jawline. “I’ve been searching for you. It’s impolite to keep a lady waiting.”

“You’re no lady.” Reita’s voice dripped with venom as his eyes drilled daggers into Kaya.

“What do you want with me? Why did you trap Reita here?” Uruha finally spoke, lightly swatting the opposing genie’s hand away. He appeared calm, despite the avalanche of worry and questions flooding his brain. All he knew of Kaya was what Reita told him. There was just so many unanswered questions and unsureness that he didn’t know what to think about their current predicament.

“Oh, right to the point. I’ve always liked that about you.” The feminine genie purred and pressed his dark crimson lips into a side smirk. “You don’t have to worry, I don’t want to hurt you. Unless you provoke me.”

Despite the less threatening tone, Uruha still didn’t feel a lack of danger from talking to this being. But he stood his ground and refused to show a weakness to Kaya.

“You didn’t answer my questions.” Kaya pouted at Uruha’s stubbornness. 

“Fine. I kept Reita here because I knew eventually you’d show up. You two were always so close, I knew you’d come looking for him.” Kaya waved his hand and spoke in a bored tone.

“Why did you want to see me?”

“Maybe we should leave. I really don’t want to spend anymore time here than we already have.” Reita jumped in. His words came out in rushed sentences, sweat clinging to his hooded forehead.

“I wanted to ask you how you did it, Uruha? And what happened afterwards.” Kaya 

“How I did what?”

“He doesn’t remember.” Reita barked. Though with the noise level of the bar, he didn’t draw any attention to them. His body still tensed and on edge. He did not like the way the conversation was going. “His memory was wiped. Now leave him alone.”

Uruha looked over at his friend with furrowed brows. Reita was worrying him. He was jumpy and agitated. Reita paled at the realization of what he said. Apparently he was trying to keep Uruha’s memory loss a secret from Kaya. The bar owner didn’t need any more ammo against them, he already knew the brunette’s weakness for Kai.

“Oh.” Kaya’s grin grew wider. At this point, he looked similar to the Cheshire Cat. His eyes pierced through Uruha’s as he stepped closer. “So you have no idea what you’ve done?”

“Um…” The blonde’s back hit against the bar. He couldn’t step back any further and was trapped between Kaya and the bar. 

“You have been living in blissful ignorance. Meanwhile, Reita has been keeping all sorts of secrets from you.” Kaya’s honeyed tone made Uruha’s head quickly snap towards his best friend.  _ He knows? _

“Okay, that’s enough. Kaya leave him be.” Reita stepped forward again and placed his hand on Kaya’s chest, pushing him away to give Uruha some space.

The brunette was boiling. He hated seeing the enjoyment on Kaya’s face. He regretted telling him about Uruha’s secret, he knew the vamp would use that against them. 

“Reita?” Uruha’s voice broke Reita from his spiraling thoughts. It was full of worry and despair. “Is he right? You know why I can’t remember anything?”

“I, Uh…” Reita dumbly stared at the blonde. His hands uselessly hung at his sides. His biggest fear was about to come true.

“All the times I asked you. You’ve been lying to me.” Uruha wrapped his arms around himself. The look of hurt mixed with anger twisted his facial features.

“No, it’s not like that. I was trying to protect you.” The hooded genie quickly defended himself.

“By lying to me.”

“Dammit. Kaya is just trying to cause trouble. Don’t pay any attention to him.” Reita was growing irritated with the whole situation. He knew Kaya was a troublemaker. Now he was trying to drive a wedge between the centuries old friendship. He did not want to let that happen.

“Reita, do you know what happened to me.” The blonde spoke firmly. His body straightening as he looked Reita direct in the eye. His gaze was so intense, the brunette had a hard time keeping it.

“Yes.” Reita sighed in defeat. He couldn’t deny the blonde the answer he was looking for. It was time to tell the truth.

“Then why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I wasn’t sure how to or if I’m even allowed to.” Reita scratched the back of his hand, a nervous habit.

“Well, it seems like you two have some things to talk about. It was nice to see you again Uruha. If you ever need any help with that little memory problem of your’s, you know where to find me.”

Kaya waved his hand and offered another mischievous smirk at the blonde. He appeared proud of the havoc he’s caused. Within seconds he was gone. He disappeared behind a crowd of people, but both genies doubted he truly left. The two stood in silence. Reita looking at his friend. Uruha’s shoulders sagged and his eyes were downcast. 

This night was suppose to distract Uruha from his unrequited feeling towards Ruki. But now he was feeling even worse. Not only does he have a crush on his unavailable master, his best friend had been lying and keeping secrets from him. 

“Uruha?” Reita hesitantly reached his hand out towards his friend. He wanted to place it on the blonde’s shoulder, but it was pushed away.

“We should get back to the table.” Uruha responded flatly and began walking towards Kai and Tora. Reita sighed and grabbed his drinks and followed behind the taller genie.

When they sat down, Reita protectively rested his arm behind Kai. He knew Kaya was still around, and he refused to let him target the innocent cook.

“So Uruha, did you get her number?” Tora’s voice and sudden jab to his side made Uruha jump. He wasn’t feeling too jovial. So he didn’t appreciate the teasing. After Kai complimented the “woman’s” beauty, the blonde knew he wouldn’t be able to handle anymore from his friends. He chugged his drink down and excused himself to the bar. He’d rather spend time to himself right now, but he had to wait for Reita. He didn’t want to raise any suspicion from their human friends.

When Reita finally collected him to go home, he already drank his own weight in alcohol. It didn’t numb his pain or make him the least bit tipsy. Not only was he magical, he had a high tolerance; any other genie would at least be slurring their words by now.

The walk back to the apartment was quiet and awkward. Knowing he’d be ignored no matter what he’d say, Reita kept himself busy by looking around for danger. After the way Kaya appeared at the bar, he wouldn’t be surprised to find out the troublemaker was ready to ambush them out here.

Uruha’s mind raced with depressing thoughts. He had so many questions, but he was angry and refused to talk to Reita at the moment. He felt betrayed by his friend. He had no idea why his nose-banded friend would lie to him about his past. He had the answers Uruha had been pondering since he woke up, but always laughed off his questions and changed the subject.

Everyone he loves ends up hurting him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAANGST! I managed to get this posted on time ^^ Next chapter may be a bit late, work is keeping me busy. :p I'm gonna try to get it done in time though. Fingers crossed. Anyways, thank you all so so much for reading, commenting and leaving kudos. I promise happier times are in the future.


	9. Hurt Feelings

The car was the only vehicle left in the entire lot. The movie theater closed a half an hour ago, all other patrons left for the night; except the two who were currently busying themselves in the sedan. It would rock back and forth when the two men moved around.

Shou was gasping and writhing under Ruki. The blonde nibbled and kissed the brunette’s thighs as he worked his way up towards the exposed erection. Ruki didn’t plan for their date to get so heated so quickly, but he wasn’t one to complain. He enjoyed the noises that escaped from the taller waiter’s throat.

Shou offered to take Ruki to the movies for their first date, now that they agreed to see each other more. The blonde couldn’t remember much about the movie. It’s plotlines were predictable and the action scenes were obviously fake. He swears he saw a stagehand walk in the back of a scene with the clapboard.  _ This is the best movie of the fall? _ His cynicism prevented the motion picture from being entertaining. Instead, he had fun pestering Shou. 

At first, he’d brush his fingers over Shou’s ticklish sides until they were slapped away. The brunette had a hard time stifling his giggles. Ruki then grew more daring and rested his hand on the taller’s thigh. He massaged his hand and slowly worked his way upwards. He rubbed at Shou’s crotch until he felt a hardness under the denim. 

“Try to keep quiet.” Ruki whispered in his ear to keep him from slapping his hand away. He saw Shou shiver as he unbuttoned his jeans and slid his hand past the first layer of fabric. He continued to trace his bulge against the fabric of his underwear.

Shou muffled a moan. He looked up and found the credits of the movie scrolling over the screen. He was too busy focusing on Ruki’s hands, he didn’t realize the movie had ended already. He gripped the blondes wrist tightly and pulled it away from his groin. He buttoned his pants and hurriedly stood. Holding Ruki’s hands, he dragged him out of the theater and rushed to his car. 

He was already worked up thanks to Ruki, he decided they should continue in the privacy of his car rather than get caught in the theater. Luckily he parked at the back end of the lot were no one else was. Everyone else got into their cars and drove away without realizing what was going on in the red sedan that was isolated from all the others.

Shou was laying against the door in the backseat as Ruki continued his work from earlier. Shou would turn his head so he could feel the coldness of the window against his temple. It felt nice since his entire face was flushed and warm from his excitement.

It wasn’t long before his pants and boxers were pushed down his thighs. The cool air caressed his freed erection, causing him to shiver. Ruki’s head hovered over the bouncing member, lightly licking the shaft and pressing small kisses to it.

Ruki traced along a vein with his tongue. He licked until he reached the tip, then he parted his lips and engulfed Shou’s aching arousal. He wrapped his hand around the base to steady it while his mouth bobbed along the length. His other hand was exploring the succulent thigh beside his face. He ran his nails along the pale skin, leaving small red lines in their paths.

Shou hissed at the pleasure. Having Ruki’s warm mouth sucking against his most sensitive area was bliss. His hands roamed around to find purchase. He eventually gripped the door with one hand and the headrest with the other. 

As Ruki intently worked on Shou, he felt his own stiffness. He shifted his footing to adjust himself, trying to get comfortable. He stopped his hand from squeezing his companion’s thigh, and worked at unbuttoning his own jeans.

Ruki moaned as his erection bounced free from his tight jeans. The vibration of his throat felt good against Shou’s member. Ruki looked up and smirked at his handiwork. Shou’s eyes were squeezed shut and his mouth hung open, gasping for air and eliciting guttural moans. Trickles of sweat ran down the sides of his face. His cheeks were stained red with a blush that spread down his neck to his chest. He looked like he was verging over the edge. 

Ruki felt a sense of pride. He knew how to make a man fall apart using only his mouth. And Shou was no different. With a few more sucks and twists of his tongue, he knew Shou would climax. But then he still had his own problem to deal with. His forgotten erection lacked any attention. 

He looked up at Shou again, he was busy keeping his breathing even and gripping on the headrest and door, he wasn’t giving any attention to Ruki and his needs.  _ Such a Pillow Princess. _ The blonde chuckled to himself and brought his freed hand to trace the underside of the shaft then cup the brunette’s balls. With one more lick, the pit of Shou’s stomach constricted and a shiver ran through him. He groaned as he came. Ruki tasted Shou on his tongue, his eyes widened at the surprise. Normally, his partners warned him before they came.

But he persevered and swallowed. It’s not like he’s never done this before. He continued to milk Shou, the brunette was a panting mess. Shou’s heart raced and his knuckles whitened at his tight grip. His eyes laid shut as his mouth gasped for air. 

Once he was done, Ruki released the now soft member with a lewd, popping sound. Licking his lips and tasting the bitterness leftover, he looked down at Shou. The brunette looked completely spent. His breathing became regular again, but his eyes were still closed. Ruki worriedly caressed his cheek. The brunette leaned into the touch, smiling slightly. It wasn’t long before he realized that Shou had fallen asleep. Exhaustion must have caught up to him.

_ Well this is a first. _

Out of all the partners and one-night stands he’s had, Ruki never had someone fall asleep on him after a blow job. Either Shou was really tired from working, or else Ruki was better at this then he gave himself credit for. 

He tucked Shou back into his pants and buttoned them. He tried to position Shou into a more comfortable sleeping position, so his neck wouldn’t ache or kink up. The brunette was peaceful looking. But Ruki grumbled to himself. He still had his own hard-on to deal with. While Shou slept, the blonde took care of himself as he waited for the taller man to wake up and drive him home.

* * *

 

Ruki inched the door open little by little. It was 2 in the morning and he didn’t want to wake anyone up. To his surprise, the light to his living room was still on. Reita was sitting on the couch, his hands folded and resting on his lap. He was staring at the wall to his left, focusing intently on whatever he was thinking about. His hood was off his head, revealing the mop of brunette hair messily sticking out in all direction. He was in another world, he didn’t see Ruki enter.

The blonde looked around and saw no sign of Uruha. This concerned him. The slender genie would normally be sleeping like a log on the couch. He could feel a tension in the air.

After removing his shoes and jacket, Ruki cautiously stepped into the living room. His steps produced no sounds, so Reita was still zoned out. The blonde inched closer to the couch, still not being noticed, he decided to speak.

“Reita?” 

The addressed genie jumped and almost fell off the couch. He moved his hand and gripped the armrest tightly. His wide eyes stared at the source of his fright. He relaxed when he noticed it was only the blonde waiter.

“Oh, hey Ruki.” Reita flashed him a smile and straightened himself on the couch. “How was your night?”

“Good.” Ruki’s tone was flat. He wasn’t sure what else to say about it. “Where’s Uruha?”

“In the bathroom.” The way the genie flinched at the mention of his friend’s name made Ruki raise an eyebrow. 

“Is everything alright?”

“I….I don’t know truthfully.” The nosebanded genie sighed and lamented. His head fell against the back of the couch as he closed his eyes. He looked tired.

“Did something happen?” Ruki moved to sit beside him, leaving very little space between them on the couch. His eyes looked at the immortal with concern.

“Yeah. We saw Kaya.”

“What? Where at?!” The blonde’s mouth dropped. He remembers the danger the infamous genie causes. 

“At Taboo. It’s my fault we went. I asked Kai if he wanted to hang out since you were busy and he chose that stupid bar. I agreed like an idiot and me and Uruha ran into Kaya.” Reita regretted his decision. After he warned Uruha to never go to Taboo again, he couldn’t deny Kai. He already developed a soft spot for the human. 

“Did he do anything to any of you? Is Kai alright?” Ruki’s concern was endearing. Reita couldn’t help but feel grateful that this man received his ring and became his master.

“Yes. He didn’t touch Kai or Tora. He only spoke to the two of us. He said something that made Uruha upset. He refuses to talk to me. Which is fair, I guess.” The brunette shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms.

“What did he say to Uruha?”

“Kaya told him that I’ve been keeping secrets. I know about his memory loss and what caused it.” He sighed again.

“Is it true?” Ruki’s question left a silence fall between them. He listened patiently to everything Reita had to say. But he felt like he needed to ask it. But the brunette was hesitant to answer it. Internally, he was battling with himself. 

“Yes.” 

“Oh.” The human looked down at his lap. His hands fidgeted with the fabric of his pants. He sounded disappointed. It hurt Reita to hear it. He felt like a child who just let down their parents. 

The genie realized how he looked right now. He had the answers to many questions, but never once divulged any. He felt an immense sense of guilt in the pit of his stomach. Ruki said nothing further, but Reita felt the disappointment in his silence. It made him cringe and grit his teeth.

“But I swear, I wanted to tell him. I just don’t know if I’m allowed to. I might get punished for telling him.” Reita tried his best to explain himself. But he felt like he couldn’t find the right words to make the guilt go away. He sighed. “He has a right to be upset though. I’m a coward of a friend. I should tell him, but I’m selfish and worry about myself. If I was a true friend, I’d tell him, damn the consequences.”

“But if something happened to you, Uruha and I would be upset.” Ruki placed a hand on his leg to try and sooth his guilty conscious. 

“Everything sucks.” Reita lamented. 

“Yeah.” 

They sat in silence once again. The air was thick with despair. The situation surrounding Uruha’s memories confused Ruki. He wanted to ask so many questions, but he feared that Reita would be unable to answer them. But he knew when to drop a conversation. He didn’t want to make Reita uncomfortable by pushing him. He then came up with an idea. Maybe they should talk about happier things, to lighten the mood.

“So, how did you and Uruha meet?”

“Sorry?” Reita raised his head to look at the blonde.

“How did you two meet? Don’t genie’s spend most of their times imprisoned? You guys never told me.”

“Our masters were friends. They were two nobles with too much time on their hands.” A grin curved the corners of his mouth as he reminisced about happier times. “They decorated us as glorified servants, always by their sides. But when we saw each other, we immediately knew the other was more than human. We connected and became friends instantly. Our masters let us. They were actually very kind for royal snobs.”

“What happened to them?” Ruki hesitated. He didn’t want to bring the mood down again, but he couldn’t help his curiosity. 

“Died of old age. Well, what was considered old age at the time.” Reita still smiled. “But before they died, they kept my enchanted ring tied to Uruha’s sake bottle. So when we were freed again, we could be together.”

“That was nice of them.” The blonde waiter was astonished by the generosity the two were shown. 

“Yeah. Those were the good times. Kaya was even kind back then. To think he became what he is now is, well, depressing.” Reita shrugged his shoulders. “But time changes people. Not always for the better. Each time you’re freed, you don’t know what kind of master you’ll have.”

“Has time changed Uruha much?”

“Well, he tends to smile more when he’s around you. I can’t remember him smiling too much when we first met. He seems happier now. Then again, that could be chalked up to the whole memory loss thing.”The brunette genie chuckled deep in his chest and shook his head.

“What was he like? Back then.”

“He was quiet, but friendly. He could make you laugh and loved to drink. Once he managed to get himself drunk, he could be wild. Be thankful you never met ‘Tequila Uruha.’” Reita chuckled as he moved his fingers in air quotes. His face brightened up when he was telling Ruki about his friend. Then a distant look returned to his eyes and his cheerful disposition faltered. “But he always had a far away expression on his face, deep in thought about something. There was a sadness in his eyes.”

“He’s been through so much.” Reita sighed. His face softened with concern as he turned to look at the wall in front of him instead of Ruki. He chewed at his bottom lips as he spoke again. “Maybe it’s better for him not to remember.”

“But that’s not really fair for him, is it?” Ruki tilted his head to the side. His eyes had very noticeable bags under them. Even his makeup couldn’t cover them. “He has a right to know.”

“Yeah.” Reita sighed again. He closed his eyes. “But the magic is preventing that.”

Once again, they sat in silence. The pleasant mood Ruki tried to create earlier shifted back to the tense, depressing air he walked in on. He thought about Reita’s situation. So much about genies and their rules were complicated and confusing. He pondered about ways to help Reita. Then an idea popped in his head.

“You said you weren’t allowed to tell Uruha about his memory loss, right?”

“I’m pretty sure I can’t.” Reita closed his eyes and slumped against the couch.

“Well, what about me?” 

“You mean…” The genie’s eyes shot open and he looked wearily at Ruki. 

“Can you tell  _ me  _ about Uruha?”

“I….I don’t know.” Reita’s brow furrowed as he looked at his hands. His finger absentmindedly twirled the ring around his finger. As he stared at the jewelry and fidgeted with it, the wheels in his head were turning. He mulled over the blonde’s suggestion.

“You don’t have to get into detail or give me specifics if you don’t want to. You could just give me a vague description.” Ruki slowly placed a hand on the genie’s shoulder. “Don’t get yourself in trouble. Just say what you feel you need to.”

“That might work.” Reita sat up and shrugged. A sense of enthusiasm resonated from him. “Hell, it’s worth a shot.”

“Okay. Whenever you’re ready. I’ll listen.” Ruki politely folded his hands in his lap and patiently waited for Reita to talk. He did not push him, and let him begin at his own pace.

“Um...well, how do I start?” Reita hummed. “The last time Uruha was free, it was….fifty years ago.”

Ruki stifled his gasp. He knew they were older beings, but the weight of their age just hit him. Uruha spent a long time asleep. So much in the world had changed in fifty years, no wonder the slender being looked at such simply stuff with childlike wonder and amazement. It was normal to him, but brand new to Uruha. 

“That was the last time I saw him. Something terrible was going on and he took matters into his own hands. But he actually only made things worse.” Reita spoke slowly. He tried to choose his words carefully, afraid of saying too much. “He did something bad. Like really bad. And so he was punished. His memory was erased and imprisoned in his bottle again.”

“Who punished him?” Ruki couldn’t keep his curiosity to himself and accidentally blurted the question without thought. 

“The magic.”

“The magic? Why did it punish him?” Ruki tilted his head at the brunette. But Reita just averted his gaze and looked down at his hands again.

“You can’t say, can you?”

“No. Sorry.” The noseless genie weakly smiled. Ruki understood. He was thankful for the little bit he was told.

“How do you feel?”

“Better.”

“You don’t feel anything bad? The magic isn’t trying to make you forget or return to your ring?” Ruki eyed him closely, trying to see if there was any change to him. But he still looked the same. Albeit, a bit happier than when he first walked in.

“No. I actually feel a little lighter telling you this.”

“Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me all this.”

“Hey, thanks for listening.” Reita smiled and looked at Ruki. He moved closer and gave the shorter man a hug. Ruki wrapped his arms around the muscular being and rubbed at his back. The small affection had Reita feeling happier. He pulled away and bitterly smiled.

“Now if only Uruha would let me talk to him.”

“Why don’t you rest? I’ll talk to Uruha.”

“Are you sure?” Reita looked at the small waiter with concern.

“Yeah. Besides, I have to use the bathroom so he’s gotta come out eventually. But get some sleep. You’ve stayed up too long worrying, relax yourself for a bit. Even though you don’t need sleep.” Ruki stood and stretched. His joints cracked when he lifted his arms over his head. If felt good.

“Okay,  _ Mom _ .” Reita’s sarcastic tone and nickname had the blonde shooting him a sinister glare. Instead of being threatened, the genie only chuckled and unrolled his sleeping bag onto the floor.

Once the genie was laying himself down to sleep, Ruki turned off the light and made his way towards the bathroom. Luckily he memorized his apartment layout so he could avoid hitting the coffee table in the dark. He shuffled his way through the blackness of the living room to the small hallway. The light from under the bathroom door was the only thing visible to Ruki in the dark. He halted outside and listened in. He heard no movement or sounds from the other side.

“Uruha?” He whispered and knocked lightly. Still no sounds from the other side.

Ruki reached for the door knob and turned it slightly. To his surprise it wasn’t locked. He twisted the knob and swung the door open enough for him to quietly peak his head inside, not wanting to startle Uruha.

Inside, he saw the tall genie lying on the tiled floor. He was curled in a ball, his arms hugging against his chest. A pair of glasses laid on the floor beside his head, Ruki couldn’t see the blonde’s face from where he was standing. Worry flooded Ruki’s mind and he hurriedly knelt in front of the genie. He pushed the blonde locks covering the genie’s face behind his ear. Uruha’s eyes were closed, but there were dried tears stained along his cheeks. His mouth was parted slightly as a tiny snoring noise passed through his lips.

Ruki’s heartbeat slowed as he realized his friend was only sleeping. He chuckled at the fact that this immortal, all powerful being fell asleep in a bathroom. Despite the traces of tears, he looked peaceful. His face was devoid of any troubling emotions. 

His eyes traced along the features of Uruha’s snoozing face. His jawline was obscured by blonde hair, but from what was visible, Ruki noticed how defined it was. Even his plump lips were eye catching. They looked so smooth and full, Ruki’s mind wondered how they would feel against his own. 

Just as quick as the thought entered his mind, he shook it out. He berated himself.  _ You just blew Shou in a parking lot, how horny can you be? _

Finding the tiled floor to be uncomfortable, the waiter lightly shook Uruha’s shoulder to rouse him out of sleep. The genie made a small groan of protest as his eyes slowly drew open. He blinked a few times at the brightness of the ceiling light fixture. He rolled his body to a sitting position on the floor.

“Uruha.” Ruki quietly cooed his friend’s name while the thin man wiped his eyes.

“Ruki?” Uruha turned to examine his surroundings. Trying to collect his thoughts as to why and where he was.

“You fell asleep in the bathroom.” The short blonde playfully smiled.

Uruha remembered the conversation him and Reita had with Kaya at the bar. He felt so betrayed. He wasn’t sure if he should place his trust in Reita anymore. Once they arrived back at the apartment, he stormed off into the bathroom. He wanted to be alone. All the painful feelings of his unrequited infatuation and the lies from Reita came crashing down on him. He ended up bawling his eyes out and crumbled to the bathroom floor. He felt so lost, and he didn't know what to do.

“I guess.” Uruha blushed and looked down at the floor. Embarrassed that Ruki found him in such a vulnerable state. He wiped at his cheeks to erase the residue of the tears he already shed.

“I already talked to Reita.” Ruki noticed the mention of the brunette’s name made Uruha wince and tense up. “He feels terrible about what happened.”

“I’m sure he does.” Uruha’s voice held a twinge venomous sarcasm. 

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” Ruki ignored the tone and pressed on. He wanted to resolve the problem.

“You already talked to Reita. What do you want with me?” Uruha pouted.

“I want to hear your side of things before I say anything further.” Ruki sounded like a teacher talking to a preschooler with how sweet his words were sounding.

“Why?”

“God you sound like a toddler. Because I’m your friend and I care about your wellbeing.” The waiter smirked and chuckled. His friend was sporting an adorable pout. How anyone could dislike this man was beyond him.

Uruha chewed his lip and internally regretted how he just acted towards Ruki. This man was just being kind and patient with him. He doesn’t deserve his anger. With a sigh, he dropped his defensive behavior and decided to open up.

“Um, well Kaya told me Reita knows about my memory loss. But he won’t tell me anything. Whenever I asked him stuff, he’d always lie or avoid the question. And I don’t know why! And, and I just….he was my friend...and, well…”

The genie brought his hands up and grabbed fistfulls of his hair. His eyes closed when tears of anger threatened to run. He rambled and stuttered, trying to keep his thoughts on one singular path. But his emotions were running wild he didn’t know where to start or continue from.

But he soon felt the light touch of fingers against his one hand. He opened his eyes and found Ruki looking at him. His stare was free from any judgment and he offered a sympathetic smile. Uruha released his tight grip of his blonde locks and dropped his hands to his thighs. Ruki keeping his own palm on top of Uruha’s slender hand in reassurance. 

“You feel hurt? And angry?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Hmm.” Ruki ran his teeth along his bottom lip as he hummed in thought. “Well, I talked to him. He doesn’t deny that he knows about it. But he can’t tell you anything because he will be punished.”

“Punished? Why?” Uruha was confused. 

“He vaguely told me what happened to you. He couldn’t get into too much detail about what happened. Apparently he’s not allowed to tell you. He’ll be punished by the magic.” Uruha’s face fell. He felt awful for reacting the way he did towards Reita. He was angry at Reita for no good reason. He didn’t want to see his friend get in trouble because of him. 

Ruki noticed Uruha’s mood and smirked as he spoke in a mischievous tone. “But magic can’t punish a non-magical human from repeating his words.”

“You know what happened?” The waiter’s words made Uruha’s head snap to attention. 

“Not really, but maybe the little bit I know will make you feel better.” Ruki shrugged. He settled on the floor in front of the genie. His hand was still sitting on Uruha’s. “You ready?”

Uruha patiently waited for the human to speak.

“Reita told me the last time you were free was fifty years ago. He said things were bad and so you tried to fix it. But instead, you made things worse and the magic punished you by erasing your memories.” 

“I did something bad?” Uruha’s eyes widened with innocence. He was relieved to finally have some answer. But now he had even more questions. It was bittersweet.

“Apparently. I don’t know what, but magic is the reason you can’t remember anything.” Ruki’s thumb ran along the backside of Uruha’s hand in comfort. He noticed the confusion in his golden-brown eyes.

“I….I wonder what I did.” The genie mumbled.

“I can’t imagine you doing anything bad. You’re so cute and kind.” Ruki smiled, he meant what he said. Uruha was always so giving and willing to help, the thought that he could do anything with the intent of malice behind it was unfathomable.

“I, um, thanks.” Uruha blushed and turned his head away. The waiter continued stroking his thumb comfortably against the taller’s hand. He then realized what he said, and withdrew his hand awkwardly.  _ Did you just flirt with him?! _

Ruki cursed internally once again. He noticed how uncomfortable he had made his roommate. The waiter cleared his throat and intended to ignore the compliment he spoke without thinking. Afterall, he shouldn’t be saying things like that to anyone but Shou.

“So, how do you feel now?”

“I don’t know.” Uruha sighed. His brows furrowed as he became deep in thought. “How am I supposed to feel?”

His voice escaped a little above a whisper. Ruki kept quiet. He didn’t know what else to tell the genie. So they sat in silence. Though this one was comfortable rather than awkward. Both blondes were deep in their own thoughts to even notice the quiet. The occasional drip from the sink faucet echoes through the room. But neither man noticed it.

“I should apologize to Reita.” Uruha spoke his realization aloud. No doubt having felt the guilt for throwing his anger towards his dearest friend.

“In the morning. It’s too late right now. You should get back to sleep. Only, try the couch this time. I bet it’s softer than the floor.” Ruki teased, chuckling as he stood up. He outstretched his hand to help the genie stand. The genie’s legs felt stiff after his uncomfortable, impromptu bathroom nap. 

The pair exited the bathroom. Uruha following Ruki. The waiter guided the genie through the dark to the living room. Uruha didn’t need the help; he probably knew the outline of the apartment better than the paying resident. But he gladly accepted the help. Secretly enjoying the few more seconds with the blonde before he retired for the night.

They found the couch and Uruha whispered a thanks to the shorter. He laid down and settled under the blanket, resting his muddled mind against a pillow. Once he closed his eyes, his exhaustion caught up with him and he fell into a restless sleep. His mind busied itself all night, never falling into his usual deep sleep.

Ruki lingered in the darkened living room longer than he should’ve. He watched the vague outline of Uruha’s sleeping form. The lanky genie tossed and turned multiple times until a soft snoring noise could be heard. Finally feeling satisfied that Uruha was truly asleep, he walked closer to the couch.

The waiter hovered over the sleeping being. With all his magic and power, he was still just as vulnerable as anyone else. It made him seem human. Ruki bent down and placed a soft kiss to the top of his, now, messy blonde hair and strolled off to his own bed. He had no idea why he did that.But he felt the need to. Maybe he wanted to offer a silent comfort to his friend. Or maybe it was something more than that. 

Either way, Ruki feared what it meant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! I know this is late and I'm berating myself over this. Work is making it more difficult to keep up with the schedule I followed in order to post on time. (Working retail and prepping for the holiday season is tiring) (;´Д`) But I promise to keep working on this, I'm having too much fun to stop now. haha Thank you for reading this, and so sorry for the lateness.


	10. A Plan

Uruha laid, sprawled out on the couch. His legs dangling over the one armrest and his head resting on a stack of pillows. He kept pressing the same button on the remote, skipping through the channels. The screen of the television flashed between images of shows. One second it pictured a cake decorated to the hilt with frosting. The next second an anchorwoman was displayed on the screen with words scrolling along the bottom of the screen, no doubt recited the same news story she did thirty minutes ago. Then he’d switch to some cartoon show that animated the characters into unrealistic people. Uruha’s finger pressed the button continuously, failing to find anything that peaked his interest on the television.

A few weeks ago, he apologized and made up with Reita. The brunette was more than happy to hear it. Uruha now understood why his friend kept secrets. Though, it angered him that he was only allowed to know so much about his memory loss. He no longer blamed Reita.

The blonde was alone in the apartment. Ruki was at work like always. And since Uruha’s and Reita’s night out at Taboo, his friend had been spending more time with Kai. Uruha reassured him that it was okay, and that he’d be fine by himself. There was no need to worry about him. He didn’t want to keep everyone from enjoying themselves by always needing help.

He was actually thrilled to see how drawn to Kai his friend was. He only wondered how things would go between them, since Reita was secretly an immortal genie and Kai was not his master. But he had confidence that they would figure it out themselves.

But now, as he flipped through the multiple channels, he wanted a distraction. Something to take his mind off his own problems.

He wondered if maybe he should leave the apartment. There was obviously nothing noteworthy on TV. But it was cold and pouring down rain, he decided against it. There was something about rain that made him shiver. He didn’t like standing out in it too long.

He grumbled and finally stopped his channel surfing after spending a half an hour pressing the same button on the remote. He stopped on some music channel that showcased different genres of music videos. He listened to the varied beats and melodies the speakers produced as a video from the eighties played. The hair and outfits really dated the video. He threw the remote onto the coffee table and remained in his spot on the couch.

His eyes remained fixed on the television set as his mind wandered. His thoughts kept veering back to his situation with Ruki or his memory loss. He chewed his lips as he tried to whisk the thoughts away. The genie needed a distraction.

* * *

 

“Kind of dead today, huh?”

Planet Nine looked practically vacant from where Ruki and Shou stood. There was only one table with customers, a  young tourist couple spending the week in the next city over. But they already paid their bill and were talking about where they wanted to go next.

Without anyone else to wait on, Ruki hovered in the main entrance with Shou. The tall brunette was leaning on his podium, while Ruki sat on a bench beside him.

“Yeah, hope we pick up soon. My food money is starting to run a bit low.” The blonde waiter mumbled as he chewed on his manicured nail.

Ruki looked outside and watched the rain drops splatter along the glass. It was coming down in buckets, he wondered if the area was under some kind of flood warning. Because it seemed likely that it could happen.

“Do you need any money? I can give you some if you’re so strapped for cash.” Shou’s posture still remained slacked against his podium.

“Oh, no thanks.” Ruki declined. “I should be fine.”

“Okay. But I don’t want you to go hungry. If you starve and wither away to nothing, I’ll be upset.” Shou’s voice shifted to a teasing whine as he pouted. With his lips sticking out, Ruki couldn’t deny how cute he looked.

“I promise I won’t starve.” Ruki smiled.

It was true he didn’t have as much money as he usually did in his “food” envelope. But he took some out in hopes of going to the movies this weekend. He just needed to find the perfect time to ask Shou.

So far in their relationship, the brunette had been the one to take Ruki out. They went to a movie Shou chose. They ate at one of Shou’s favorite places. They also went to Shou’s apartment to play a video game. Each time, it would end in some raunchy, adult activities. Not that Ruki complained. But he wanted to invite Shou to do something he chose. Afterall, a relationship is a two-way street.  

“Did you see the previews to that new horror movie this weekend?” Ruki turned to ask Shou. His thumb nail still grinding between his teeth.

“Which one?” The brunette yawned. If it wasn’t for the podium, he’d probably have fallen on the floor by now.

“ _Giant Rats from Mars_. It looks like some old 50’s B-movie.”

“That just sounds, um, interesting.” Shou grinned. His smile always showed his teeth.

“That’s a nice way of putting it.” The shorter man laughed. “Would you maybe want to go see it this weekend? I know it’s playing in town here on Saturday.”

“Oh.” Shou looked down at his hands and weakly smiled. “I’d love to, but I already promised to help Saga this weekend. I’m replacing the stove in the back on Saturday. He finally got a new one so Kai can stop his bitching. It’s the only time they could deliver it.”

“Oh. Okay. No problem. Maybe some other time.” Ruki nodded his head and looked to the floor. He felt a bit embarrassed. He put himself out there, only to have his idea rejected. He didn’t blame Shou. It was short notice.

“I’m sorry.” Guilt was written all over Shou’s face. The brunette awkwardly scratched at the back of his neck. He noticed the drop in the shorter’s mood. He then smiled suggestively and spoke in a smooth voice. “But when I’m all done, maybe then we can get together.”

“And do what?” Ruki looked up and Shou was already sauntering over to the bench.

“Well, I’ll be all sweaty and dirty from setting up the stove, I might need a shower.” The brunette sat beside Ruki, leaving a little under an inch between them. His arm was draped behind Ruki along the back of the bench. His face hovering close to the blonde’s ear.

“But I’m sure you’ll look good in a little grim.” Ruki smirked and ran a finger along Shou’s chest and up to trace over his jaw.

“Hmmm, maybe I’ll just have to stop by your place after I’m done. See if there’s anything you need fixin’.” He whispered against Ruki’s pierced ear. His breath tickled his exposed skin.

“God, Shou. This sounds like the start of those cheesy pornos.” The blonde exhaled a low chuckle. He shook his head at Shou’s absurdity.

“Where’s the leak, ma'am? Do I need to check your pipes?” The brunette put on a deep, low voice. Imitating a masculine voice, he joked with Ruki.

The blonde chuckled and leaned his face forward to capture Shou’s lips in his own. “Shut up.” He murmured and giggled into the kiss. Their lips nipped at each other’s. Loud smacks of their wet kiss filled the silence of the front lobby. The kiss was intense and full of passion. So much so that Ruki forgot he was at his place of employment.

The sound of the door opening behind Ruki made him open his eyes and pull away from Shou hastily. His face reddened and heated up, despite the cold air that blew in with the figure that entered. He coughed to clear his throat and stood up to greet the patron. Shou still remained seated.

When he turned around, he was greeted by the sight of Saga, his boss and owner of Planet Nine. The man stood taller than Ruki, most people did. His head was tilted, his dirty blonde bangs falling into his eyes, and the corner of his mouth was twisted into a smirk. His hands were in his blazer after he tossed his umbrella against a wall to dry. His shoes were wet and puddles formed on the floor behind him. If he wasn’t the owner, Ruki would’ve asked him to please wipe his feet off on the welcome mat.

“Oh, hello sir.” Ruki formally bowed his head at his boss. He swallowed his nervousness as best he could. Afterall, he was just caught making out with his coworker at their place of employment by their boss.

“Hey Ruski,” the dirty blonde used his own nickname for Ruki. “Am I interrupting something?” Saga glanced at Shou, casually slouched on the bench. Ruki’s blush deepened and spread to his ears. But Shou showed no remorse or embarrassment for his actions.

“Yeah. So whatever you want better be important.”

Ruki couldn’t allow himself to be as comfortable as Shou around Saga. The man was nice and always treated him with kindness. He never raised his voice. In fact, he was probably one of the most chilled and relaxed people Ruki ever met. He didn’t act like a typical boss. But despite all the casualness that surrounded the man, Ruki couldn’t drop the fact that he was indeed his boss and he should be shown respect.

Shou on the other hand had no problems teasing or sassing Saga.

“Oh, am I not allowed to visit my own restaurant from time to time? I mean, I own the damn place.” Saga faked a hurt expression. He held his hand to his chest and dramatically pouted his lips.

“Hmmm, I guess we’ll let you in this time. But next time, you better make a reservation.” Shou crossed his legs and leaned back against the bench. He accusedly pointed his index finger at his boss in a stern fashion.

“Ha, since when did this become one of those fancy restaurants?” Saga waved his hand dismissively and walked closer to Shou. Ruki kept his distance, awkwardly standing beside the podium. He didn’t want to interrupt their conversation, he felt like an outsider to it. He figured Saga was here to talk to Shou, not him.

“So, I talked to the delivery people, and the stove won’t be here until Sunday.” Saga crossed his arms and shifted all his weight to his one foot. He jolted his head to the side, trying to get a strand of his hair out of his eyes as he talked.

“Oh, okay. You could've just send a text.” The brunette waiter smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m starting to get the impression that you didn’t want me here? What are you hiding?”

“Shit, fine. I better come clean. The health inspector is buried in a shallow grave out in the alley.” Shou threw his hands up in defeat. The sarcasm and dark humor made Ruki let out a chuckle despite his efforts to remain quiet.

“Why would you bury him? Acid works better at disposing evidence.” Saga played along.

“Wow. that’s dark, man. I am suddenly afraid of you.” Shou’s eyes widened at his boss as he laughed.

The trio’s laughter died down as they heard the door to the establishment open. A young woman entered, removing her hood. She wiped her feet on the rug in front of the door and rubbed her hands together for warmth.

“I’ll seat her. You two can take a break.” Saga waved his hands at the two waiters and walked up to the woman. He greeted her and walked her into the dining area. Every time their boss stopped by, he never shied away from working. The last time he visited, he spent the rest of his afternoon in the kitchen preparing the meals. Ruki was grateful to have a boss who worked as hard as his employees.

Ruki returned to his seat beside Shou. The brunette wrapped his arm around the blonde. The silence was comfortable. They rarely get a chance to spend so much time together at work. Ruki mulled over the things their boss told Shou earlier.

“So, you don’t have to replace the stove til Sunday.” Ruki spoke lowly, his voice hesitant. He still felt a small bit of pain from his previous rejection. “Do you maybe want to go to the movies now?”

“I’ll probably have to do something else Saturday. Saga will probably have me clean the kitchen and set everything up. I know I’ll have to go buy some tools since Saga doesn't even own a hammer.” Shou mumbled as his fingers played with a loose strand of Ruki’s blonde hair.

“Oh, okay.” The blonde’s shoulders slumped and his voice lacked enthusiasm. “I just thought maybe you had time now.”

“Sorry. Maybe we can go after work next week. I’ll buy the popcorn.”

“Okay.” Ruki spoke a little above a whisper.

Ruki couldn’t bring himself to be happy. He wasn’t able to go with Shou Saturday, but some other time should be good enough. But it wasn’t. He couldn’t erase the feeling of rejection. He understood Shou’s reasoning, he was busy. But he wasn’t fully convinced by his second excuse. _Is there something wrong with me?_

The rest of his shift was agonizing. It was slow, so he had plenty of free time to spend with Shou. Though they spent most of their time together in silence. Ruki couldn’t find much to talk to him about. He couldn’t stop his heart from hurting every time he looked at him. He wished Kai wasn’t off, maybe he could talk to him about what he was feeling.

* * *

 

Uruha’s eyes felt heavy. He’s been watching the TV for hours. And every single program he watched failed to capture his interest. But he didn’t know what else to do. So he changed the channel every half hour to try and distract himself. But no matter what was depicted on the screen, he couldn’t help but think about his memories.

_What did I do to get punished? Why did I do it? Why can’t Reita tell me anything? Kaya knows about it too. Maybe he can tell me. But why would he? How could I trust anything he tells me?_

Every time Uruha started to think, he dreaded the path his thoughts took. So much uncertainty, it ached.

Uruha picked up the remote again, and started to channel surf once more. The images on the screen flashed and illuminated the darken living room. It was late and the sun was starting to set outside.

The genie was lost in his own little world until he heard the door opening. It startled him after sitting in silence all day long. He turned his gaze to see his short master walking into the small entranceway. His face was downcast and he had his hair covering his eyes. His body language looked tired. Though he couldn’t see his entire face, Uruha immediately knew something was off.

Ruki took his shoes off and made his way into the living room. He paused when he looked up and noticed the tall figure slouching on the couch.

“Uruha?!” Ruki locked eyes with the genie. His sclera was reddened and the corners of his lids had tears welled up, threatening to spill over. “I thought you were out with Kai and Reita.”

“You’re crying.” Uruha stated and jumped to his feet. His long legs carried him through the living room, closing the distance between the two blondes. He brought his hand up to rest on Ruki’s cheek and the other on the blonde’s shoulder.

Ruki flinched at the contact. It was comforting, but also a very intimate embrace. The genie mustn’t have realized that. But he didn’t push Uruha away. Instead he leaned into the warm, slender hand cradling his head. He sniffled and the tears started to run down his cheeks.

“What’s wrong?”

“I..it’s hard to explain.” Ruki shook his head. His mind was a mess.

“Take your time” Uruha’s voice was soothing. He didn’t feel a pressure to immediately talk. He was grateful for the comforting atmosphere this genie radiated.

Uruha guided Ruki to sit on the couch. They sat side by side, Ruki resting his head on the taller’s shoulder. He cried out a few sobs as he tried to calm his mind down enough to form understandable sentences.

“I asked Shou if he wanted to go to the movies with me this weekend. I really wanted to watch that new horror film with him.” Ruki choked out. He felt a bit embarrassed for letting a small thing like this affect him so deeply. But he knew Uruha wouldn’t judge him for it.

“And what did he say?”

“He told me he was busy. But that stupid stove ain’t coming until Sunday. Now he has the time. But he still refuses.” Uruha didn’t understand that last part, but he got the just of it. Instead of taking a stab at Shou, he decided to let Ruki vent his emotions. He didn’t want to offer any unneeded opinions.

“I’ve scrimped my food money in hopes that he would join me. I was going to pay for his ticket and everything.” Ruki sobbed.

Uruha notice Ruki was putting less money in the “food” envelope this week. He didn’t question it since it wasn’t his own. Ruki took care of his own expenses and didn’t ask for anything from Uruha.

“I’m also worried.”

“Worried? What about?” Uruha shifted so he could peer down at his friend. Ruki’s eyes were staring off into the distance. The tears started to make his eye liner run in messy streaks down his face.

“The relationship.”

“What do you mean? You’ve only just started dating.” Uruha was confused. He thought Ruki was happy with Shou.

“Yeah, but I don’t feel any kind of spark between us. I don’t know. It’s just, every time we hang out, it always ends the same way….” The waiter’s voice trailed off. He seemed hesitant to continue.

“What way?”

Ruki remained quiet. His face was plastered with worry  as well a slight blush upon his tear stained cheeks. He kept his lips firmly shut. Uruha noticed the hesitancy and wanted to offer him comfort.

“You can tell me. I promise I won’t judge.” The genie whispered, placing his lips against the blonde locks of his friend’s head.

“I know.” Ruki sighed. He closed his eyes and looked more relaxed with the verbal affirmation. He decided to continue, at ease in Uruha’s presence. “Well, every one of our dates ends in sex.”

Uruha felt a shockwave run through him. For some reason, the idea of Ruki spending time with Shou doing things of an intimate nature churned his stomach. He had a difficult time coming to terms with their relationship, but now adding on this bit of information felt like an avalanche of nausea fell on top of him. It was like his heart was ripped out and tossed to the dirty ground.

“And?” The genie masked his discomfort and hurt. This was about Ruki, not him. He’d worry about his own feeling later. Right now, he wanted to see the blonde waiter smile again.

“I’m just worried that that’s all this relationship is. Was I really attracted to Shou on a deeper level, or was I just horny. Am I really just a slut?”

“Don’t talk like that.” Uruha quickly cut him off before he could continue the self loathing thoughts. He wrapped his arms around Ruki, hugging him tightly against his chest.“You are a wonderful, and beautiful person who has shown me so much kindness. You are a good person. Don’t think so low of yourself.”

Ruki’s face was pressed against Uruha’s slender, washboard-like chest. He burrowed his nose against the warmth, listening to the heartbeat. _So, genies have hearts?_ It made Uruha seem more real than normal.

“Thanks.” The shorter mumbled, burying his face against Uruha. His tears had finally ceased their flowing and his breathing was returning back to normal. He was still upset about Shou, but being in Uruha’s arms didn’t make his worries seem all that important.

They stayed in their embrace for a long while. Neither one moving or breaking their silence. It was comfortable. They just listened to the rain hit the window seal outside and the small murmurs from the television that was still turned on.

After awhile, Uruha finally released the small blonde. Ruki looked up at his friend with a genuine smile. His shaggy blonde hair hung over his eyes. His cheeks were stained with tears and streaked black makeup.

“Maybe you should get some rest. Take a shower and then a nap. It might make you feel better.” Uruha petted down some blonde hair that was sticking up on Ruki’s head.

Ruki nodded and reluctantly stepped off the couch. He thanked the genie one more time before rounding up some clean clothes and then disappearing into the bathroom.

* * *

 

Ruki retired for the night. He closed his bedroom door and tucked himself under his blankets and comforters.

The apartment was pitch black from the nighttime, save for the slither of light that escaped from beneath the bathroom door. Inside, Uruha stood at the sink looking at his reflection in the mirror. He studied his features with great scrutiny.

Ruki had helped Uruha when he was a sad mess laying on the floor. He wanted to repay the kindness. His master was a kind and incredible person who deserves happiness. His heart broke when he saw the tears and heard the sniffling cries. He had made up his mind, and was hell bent on helping Ruki to the fullest of his ability.

Uruha closed his eyes. A purple and gold cloud of smoke crawled along his skin and soon consumed his entire body. Sparkles and glimmers flashed as his hair changed color and length. His features he stared at in the reflection of the mirror shifted. His plump lips flattened and his tall frame shortened.

The smoke dissipated and fell to the floor, allowing Uruha to admire his handiwork in the mirror. Though, when he looked at himself, he didn’t see his own reflection. Instead, Shou was staring back at him.

Uruha tilted his head to see the different angles of his new form. He never spent much time with the brunette waiter, so to shapeshift as him proved to be quite difficult. But he used all his focus. He wanted to make sure he could replicate Shou’s appearance down to minute details. Especially with the plan he hatched.

Satisfied, Uruha snapped his fingers and a puff of smoke erupted from his hand. Inside, a cell phone appeared. Looking at the screen, only one contact was present. His newly formed finger tapped the messaging icon and he began typing. With one touch, he sent a magical text that would begin his plan.

He wanted to make Ruki happy. And he thought this was the best way to do so.

Inside Ruki’s bedroom, the phone that sat on the nightstand vibrated. It buzzed against the wooden surface signaling a message.

 

**[Shou]**

**_Hey Ruki, want to go to the movies Saturday? :)_ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so so much for your feedback. ♥ You are all so kind it really helped me out of my funk I was feeling. ^_^ I even got the new chapter done faster than i expected. I hope you all enjoy it.


	11. The Date

The sky was grey and threatened the city with another downpour. Despite the fact the weather report promised a sunny day. The pedestrians on the street all carried umbrellas and continued about their day, not stopping for the weather. Uruha stood outside Ruki’s apartment building disguised as Shou. He studied the sky while he waited for the blonde waiter to come down.

Uruha planned to step in for Shou on this date. He knew how much it meant to Ruki for Shou to go to the movies with him. Instead of making the blonde mad at his boyfriend, Uruha decided to cover up for him, despite the jealousy he felt. It was for Ruki.

When Uruha told Reita his plan, the brunette was dumbfounded. He said it was one of the dumbest things he’s ever done. Nonetheless, he followed along and told Ruki him and Uruha would hang out today, giving the slender genie an alibi of sorts. Uruha didn’t have the intentions of trying to win Ruki from Shou, or do anything selfishly. He only wanted Ruki to be happy in his own relationship.

Ruki was off work Friday, so he never saw Shou in person. Therefore, he couldn’t talk to his fellow waiter about the date and blow Uruha’s cover. The plan was working out nicely for the genie.

Uruha chewed at lips while he awaited the short blonde. His nerves were shaking as he worried about the best way to act around Ruki. He wanted to play a convincing Shou. But he never talked to the waiter much. In fact, he was almost convinced that Shou didn’t like him in the slightest.

But Uruha tried to be amicable with the brunette. Even if he thought Shou was an idiot who was too blind to fully appreciate Ruki for who he was. He always thought Shou was more laidback and a bit lazy compared to Ruki, who seemed determined to work for every little thing. Uruha did not want to see Ruki cry, and knowing Shou caused that state for the petite blonde, irked him.

_Okay, breathe._

Uruha took a deep breathe and stopped his negative thoughts. If he was to impersonate Shou, it would be helpful if he didn’t loathe the man.

The door next to where Uruha was leaning on the wall opened. The false brunette turned and let out an exhale of breath as he studied the shorter man’s appearance. Ruki looked stunning to Uruha. The blonde was wearing white dress slacks with a matching suit jacket. It was open to reveal the black, floral designs on the button-up shirt he was wearing. A few buttons were left undone at the top to reveal his pale chest and the collars to the shirt were folded down over the jacket. The sleeves to his shirt slightly stuck out of his jacket sleeves near his wrists. His top looked too large for him, making Ruki appear even more petite in his frame.

He looked absolutely adorable. Uruha had to swallow down his jealousy at the realization that Ruki was dressing this way for Shou, and not him.  

“Hey stranger.” Ruki’s lips quirked into a side-smile when he noticed the image of Shou standing beside him. His lips were not done up in his usual red, instead that had a pale gloss over them. His entire face had minimal makeup, making him look softer in appearance. His blonde bangs were styled to hide half his face however, which Uruha found to be a shame.

“Yo.” Uruha’s voice came out in the exact frequency and pitch that Shou’s would. As long as he can imitate the waiter’s mannerisms, Ruki wouldn’t suspect a thing.

Ruki sauntered up to the imitation Shou. He reached a hand up to rest on his shoulder and brought his lips up to press against his. The blonde’s paled lips were warm to the touch and softly glided over his. It was a light kiss, nothing too heated. But Uruha felt like the wind was being knocked out of him.  

He soon gathered his bearings and brought his hands to rest on Ruki’s waist. He should’ve expected this. He needed to keep his calm and not let a kiss throw him off like this. Even if these heavenly lips belonged to the object of his affection. He had to repeat to himself, he was here for Ruki and not his own personal gain.

Ruki pulled away and looked into Uruha’s eyes. Affection flooded the blonde’s blue-contact lensed orbs. “I’m glad you were able to come today.”

“Me too.” Uruha smiled the toothy grin he’s seen Shou do numerous times.

“So what changed? I thought Saga needed you today?” Ruki tilted his head, his arms still wrapped around his pretend boyfriend’s neck.

“The stove’s not coming til tomorrow, remember?” Uruha used what little he gathered from their conversation from the other day. He hoped he could be convincing enough.

“But what about the tools and prep work Saga needed?” A frown appeared on his lips. Uruha had to think fast to erase it.

“He found some tools. Can’t really do anything until the stove arrives. Or else the restaurant will be without one for the day. And that’s not good for business.” Uruha shocked himself with how much he was able to lie. He felt bad.

But he seemed to convince the shorter, because he just smiled and wrapped his hand around Uruha’s own. He led the way down the sidewalk to their destination. They didn’t talk much, which relieved Uruha slightly. He didn’t want to blow his cover so soon. He just wanted to see Ruki smile. And the blonde was. He had a slight aura of pride as they walked hand in hand down the cement walkway. Whenever some stranger looked at their conjoined hand, Ruki almost swelled in pride. He wanted people to see him with a beautiful man.

Uruha also felt joy in knowing that he was Ruki’s for the day. Even if he was disguised as someone else. It was nice to be holding his hand in public. Especially for this long.

Soon, they reached the movie theatre. It looked like every other building in this city: runned-down and in need of repair. The marque replaced some missing letters in movie titles with numbers. It almost looked like a cryptic code that Uruha couldn’t read. He tried to decipher which title Ruki wanted to see.

“What time does our movie start?” He didn’t know what movie Ruki wanted to see honestly. But he figured Shou would’ve known. So he chose his questions wisely.

“In fifteen minutes.”

Uruha looked at the movie showtimes in order to find out what movie they were going to see. There was only one that matched up with the timeframe Ruki gave him.

The marque read “G1ant Ra1s fr0m Mar5.” Uruha tried to understand what it meant. The addition of numbers to replace the missing letters confused him. He studied it for a while before he gave up.

“Ruki, what does that say?” He chuckled and pointed at the sign.

“It should say ‘Giant Rats from Mars’ but too many kids have stolen their letters. Apparently it’s a right of passage to steal one of their letters off the marque. I have no idea how they can get away with it. You’d need a ladder to reach that sign.” Ruki smirked as he studied the sign. It hung over their heads a good many feet. But everyday, a new letter would be missing. And it looked like the theatre owner was too stubborn to purchase more. Thus the addition of numbers for letters.

“Maybe they’re just tall kids.” Uruha absentmindedly commented. He worried after he said it. _Is that something Shou would say?_ He began to doubt himself and he scolded himself for not thinking more before talking.

“Seriously?” Ruki giggled.

Relief set in once he noticed Ruki’s enjoyment. It didn’t seem to matter that he spoke without thinking. As long as the short blonde was happy, that’s all that mattered. Maybe he could relax a bit and be more himself around the waiter.

“Okay, how about stilts? That’s quieter than ladders.” Ruki bursted out in laughter at Uruha’s lame joke.

“Oh shut up. Let’s just go get our tickets.” Ruki pulled him by the hand and dragged him to the line that formed at the small booth in front of the doors. The person standing behind the plexi-glass looked absolutely bored. Her voice was monotone as she spoke to each customer, giving them their tickets. When Ruki and Uruha finally approached, she began her memorized speech.

“Hello, and thank you for coming to Cinema-Plex. How may I help you today?”

“Two tickets to ‘Giants Rats from Mars’ please.” Ruki excitedly held up two fingers as he spoke. Emphasizing the fact that the two of them were seeing the movie.

“Okay. That’ll be 14.50.” Her voice was enough to put Uruha to sleep she sounded so bored.

Ruki dug his wallet out of his white pants and began counting out the bills in his head. Uruha watched and tried to decide what Shou would do. _Would he try to jump in and pay for the tickets instead?_ He decided to run with that idea.

“Wait Ruki, let me pay.” Uruha smiled just like Shou would and fished for his wallet.

“No.” Uruha stopped in his actions when he noticed the tinge of anger to Ruki’s voice. He looked up to see Ruki slapping down the money at the window. “You always pay for everything. Let me do it for once.”

Uruha noticed the pout on Ruki’s lips. His determination was admirable, but he had no idea he would react like that. Wasn’t it considered a nice gesture to pay for your date? _Does this mean Shou always pays? Is that a bad thing?_ The genie shook the thoughts away and just followed Ruki’s orders.

“Enjoy your movie.” The woman droned as she handed Ruki his change and tickets.

The couple headed inside. Uruha tried his best not to be too awestruck by the place. He’s never been in a movie theatre before so he wanted to look at his surroundings. But he assumed Shou had been to this place plenty of times, so it’d be suspicious if he looked around like it was brand new to him.

“Do you want any popcorn?” Ruki turned to ask his imitation lover.

“Okay. Do you want me to buy some?” Uruha started towards the concession stand. He assumed that’s where you buy it since they had giant pictures of popcorn and soda plastered to the wall.

“No, I budgeted for this. I’ll get it.” The blonde’s short frame stepped in front of ‘Shou.’ His pace was faster than normal, like he was trying to beat the brunette in a race or something.

“Ruki.” The brunette pressed his eyebrows together in concern. “Don’t push yourself. I can cover the cost for you. Save your money.”

“No.” Once again, Ruki’s curt reply surprised the brunette.  “I worked and saved so I could do this. Please, just let me.”

“Okay.” Uruha relented. He knew Ruki could be stubborn, they were roommates afterall. But the topic of money between him and Shou seemed to get a bit heated. Uruha didn’t want to press the issue any so he just followed whatever the short blonde wished for.

* * *

 

“What’s happening?”

Uruha was leaning over and whispering into Ruki’s ear. They’ve been watching the movie for half an hour now and Uruha lost track of the plot. He enjoyed movies, he’d often watch whatever Sci-fi films he could find on Ruki’s television, those were his favorite kinds. His master didn’t own much in the way of DVDs.

One time Reita got mad at him because he asked the same question. The brunette genie busted out in a fit of laughter and the rest of the movie was forgotten while he spent the rest of the time picking on Uruha.

He hoped Ruki wouldn’t do the same to him now.

“To be honest, I’m not sure either.” Ruki giggled. The blonde’s laughter made Uruha relax. “That woman is an astronaut. And I think that guy is her husband. No wait, maybe that’s her brother. All these actors look alike.”

The waiter laughed at how ridiculous the movie was. He knew it was going to be bad, but not _this_ bad. He drummed his fingers against the sides of the empty popcorn container as he tried to figure out what was progressing on the screen.

“So is that mouse her pet? It was on the spaceship.” The brunette’s breathe pressed against the blonde’s pierced ear.

“Either that, or NASA doesn’t have enough money for exterminators.” The absurdity of the film left both men confused.

“So I see Mars. But where’s the giant rats? So far I’ve only seen small ones.” Normally, Shou sat quietly and watched the movie. But today, he was engaging Ruki while watching. It was enjoyable. They had fun making fun of the film.

On screen, a horrible CGI sequence panned out as a small, real-life mouse transformed into a not-so-believable animated rat the size of a house; causing the leading lady to scream like in every other horror film Ruki has ever seen.

“Ask and you shall receive.” Ruki chuckled into his boyfriend’s ear.

After another fifteen minutes of not understanding what was happening, Uruha’s mind began to wander. He looked down at the short blonde in the seat beside him. His eyes were fixed on the screen, but his face was scrunched in confusion. The genie found it adorable how his eyebrows were furrowed and his lips slightly pouted as he tried to follow along with the story.

Uruha thought about how lucky Shou was. He was able to enjoy little moments like this whenever he pleased. Ruki was a beautiful man. And not just on the outside. Uruha grew fond of him as they continued their living arrangement together. Ruki was so kind and caring. He refused to use Uruha’s magic for his own selfish purposes. Though it hurt the genie sometimes and made him feel useless, he understood and admired his master. He was a selfless man.

While the genie was deep in thought, he was startled by a sudden sensation he felt. He looked down at his hand resting on the armrest, and found Ruki’s right beside his. The blonde’s pinky was lightly brushing against the back of his palm; asking for permission to be held. The notion was heartwarming.

Uruha turned his hand over and laced his fingers with Ruki’s. He felt a light squeeze from the manicured digits His heart swelled with infatuation. He was holding Ruki’s hand; it was warm and silky smooth. It took a moment for the situation to sink in before he felt unease.

 _Is this alright? Should I be enjoying this as much as I am?_ _They’ve held hands before, I’m just playing the part. I’m not trying to seduce Ruki or anything. But still. This is wrong. I shouldn’t have done this._

Ruki leaned over and rested his head on the brunette’s shoulder. His blonde hair obscuring his eyes from Uruha. But no doubt, the waiter was still looking at the screen to watch the movie. Blissfully unaware of the turmoil happening inside his imitation boyfriend’s head.

* * *

 

“So how’s Uruha? I thought he was coming along today?” The sounds from the television almost muted Kai’s question. Reita paused the game and reached for the remote on the armrest beside him to turn the volume down a bit.

While Ruki was on his date, Reita left for the day to spend time with his mortal boyfriend. They spent today playing _Street Fighter_ on Kai’s Playstation. Video games have evolved so much since the genie last played any. There were some many different systems and the graphics had improved well beyond anything he ever imagined. Too bad his skill didn’t, because Kai was beating him senseless on screen.

“Um, no. He’s not. He’s busy.” Reita mumbled while the character of E. Honda struck his final blow on Ken. Reita’s character fell to the ground as his lifebar emptied. A giant “K.O.” flashed across the screen causing the brunette genie to sigh out in frustration. “How the hell did you do that?! That big guy should not be able to move that fast!”

“Ken is such a boring character. Why don’t you pick someone else? Maybe you’ll do better.” Kai laughed. Reita couldn’t stay mad when he looked at the smiling cook. Kai’s eyes creased at the corners each time he’d smile, and the dimple added to his cuteness.

“There’s no way I can win when you keep picking that juggernaut!” Reita laughed and pointed at the television. They had reached the character selection screen and once again Kai chose the the character of E. Honda again.

“Awww, is someone being a sore loser?” Kai set his controller down and turned towards Reita, pouting. He brought his fist up to his eyes and pretended to wipe at fake tears.

“No. I’m just stating the fact that I’ve lost 23 times in a row.” The genie angrily mumbled. His grip tightened on the controller. Kai cackled aloud with laughter as Reita’s face grew more and more red. The magical brunette huffed and hoped most of his blushing was covered by his noseband. He even tried hide his face with his bangs.

“Poor Rei-rei’s ego.” Kai took notice of this. He cooed and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. Reita remained stubborn and pouted, he refused to enjoy the embrace. He grumbled the whole time the cook rocked him back and forth.

“Do you want to play another game instead?” Kai kissed the side of Reita’s face. “You only had to ask.”

Soon, they switched out games. Kai instead discarded his controller on the coffee table and watched his boyfriend play a single-player game. Reita was cursing as he played _Castlevania: Symphony of the Night_. The brunette cook couldn’t contain his laughter each time Reita died at the first boss battle.

“This is impossible.” Reita huffed, holding himself back from rage throwing the controller.

“No it’s not. I know you can do it!”

“It’s two against one! That’s not fair.”

“Run to the other side of the room and hide under that ledge. He can’t fly past that.” Kai pointed to the screen and concocted a strategy just before Reita received another “Game Over” screen. The genie huffed again and laid his head against the back of the couch. He closed his eyes and tried to calm his temper.

“I bet Uruha could do better than you.” The human mumbled. Reita often teased him, so when he got a chance, he’d do the same. Though unlike him, who laughed it off, the genie would get a bit angry.

“No shit!” Reita barked. He knew Kai was just trying to rile him up. “I have no idea how he’s so good with games. It’s not like they existed the last time he….”

The genie trailed off, after he realized what he almost revealed. He never told Kai about his and Uruha’s existence. He knew the topic would come up sooner or later, especially with how his feelings were developing towards the brunette. He was in love with the human. A human who wasn’t his master.

“What?” Kai turned his head to study his boyfriend curiously.

“Hmm?”

“What were you saying about Uruha?”

“That he’s good at video games.” Reita tried to brush off what he just said. He cursed himself for getting too comfortable and almost blurting out his secret. He tried to continue on with the game. But he was too distracted, he ended up dying within seconds.

“Reita?” Kai’s usually smiling lips were pursed into a firm line. His brows furrowed downwards and added to his seriousness. Reita should’ve known Kai wouldn’t drop the subject so easily. He was stubborn, but that’s one thing he found endearing about the mortal brunette. “Is there something you wanted to say about Uruha?”

“Umm…” Reita’s mind was blanking. He was cornered.

“Is there a reason he didn’t come today? Is everything alright?” Kai spoke with hesitancy. He looked at his boyfriend’s face. The genie’s eyes were wide and sweat formed along his temples. Visibly, he struggled to speak.

Kai decided against being forceful and yelling. Instead, he placed his hand on the dumbfounded brunette’s knee and ran his thumbs in circles, hoping to calm him down.

“You can tell me. If there’s anything I can help you with, please let me know. I care for you.” The human’s voice was filled with concern as he spoke to his lover. His face softened and his lips now upturned into a faint smile.

Reita sighed in defeat. He had to tell Kai eventually, now was as good a time as any.

“Okay. Um, Uruha is kind of on a date right now.” Reita lamented. He placed the controller on the coffee table in front of them. Playing the game was the least of his worries now.

“Really?! Oh that’s wonderful!” Kai beamed. He even brought his hands together and did an excited little clap. “Who’s the lucky person? Do I know them?”

“Ruki.” The genie spoke in a serious tone, not wanting what he just said to be taken as a joke.

“But…” Kai’s mouth hung open and his eyes stared at Reita.

“Before you say anything, there’s some things I need to tell you first.” Reita jumped in, before Kai could jump to any conclusions. Things were more complicated than the cook could ever realize. Ruki was his best friend, and Reita was his boyfriend. It was time he knew the truth about all of them.

* * *

 

“Oh man, that was worse than I thought it would be.” Ruki laughed as him and ‘Shou’ left the theater and walked through the lobby. His deep chuckle hurt Uruha’s chest. The shorter seemed to have enjoyed himself, which is what Uruha wanted. But being disguised as Shou, he started to question his own motives for this fake date. Was he really just toying with Ruki’s emotions?

Uruha, who missed half the movie because he struggled with his thoughts while Ruki held his hand, just laughed and agreed with the blonde. The shorter was bouncing excitedly beside him as they walked. His mouth was spewing nonstop about the movie. He complained about the acting, ridiculed the special effects, and laughed about the overall plot of the film.

Ruki continued to talk and walk forward, pushing the exit door open so the pair can finally leave. Once outside, they stood in front of the theater. The weather forecast that was predicted this morning was gravely wrong. Instead of the sunny skies, the clouds finally burst and sheets of water poured onto the city below them. Lucky for the couple, they were standing under cover.

“Wow, it’s really coming down.” Ruki looked out at the drenched streets and building in awe. Puddles formed in every crevice of cement. Pedestrians crowded the sidewalks with umbrellas drawn above their heads. Cars driving by with their headlights on and their windshield wipers moving at full speed in order to see. While Ruki marveled at the scene in front of them, the fake brunette behind him stood still.

All of Uruha’s muscles tensed up; he was unable to move. His eyes darted around them, taking in the scene. There was so much water. It brought chills up and down his spine and fear to strike at his heart. He had no idea why the rain elicited this kind of reaction from him. But his fight or flight instincts seems to have naturally kicked in. His clammy hands reached out for Ruki’s. He craved some sense of comfort from the petite man’s presence.

“Too bad we didn’t bring an umbrella, huh?” Ruki remarked as he felt fingers snake between his. He squeezed back, his stomach fluttering at the small public display of affection he was receiving from his boyfriend. Him and Shou weren’t shy about their relationship, but rarely joined in on PDA.

Today had been a nice change of pace for Ruki. Shou was acting more attentive and affectionate towards him. He felt relieved since he’s been worried their relationship was nothing but sex. He turned to look at his lover with a smile. But his happiness faltered when he saw the fear stricken look on his pretend boyfriend’s face.

“Shou, is everything alright? You look scared.”

“Oh, sorry.” Uruha was brought out of his state and mumbled a reply. He didn’t want to bring attention to his irrational fear. He assumed Shou had no problems with water, so he shouldn’t let this storm ruin his image.

“What’s wrong?”

“I, uh…” Uruha wracked his brain to come up with a convincible lie. “I’m afraid of thunderstorms.”

Uruha hoped Ruki would buy into his lie. He told himself it was believable, some people feared lightning. Not him though. But he had to say something. Besides, he didn’t even know why he feared rain.

“Oh. That’s adorable.” Ruki beamed. He giggled as a pout spread across the brunette’s face. He brought his arms up to wrap around the taller man’s neck and pressed his lips against his boyfriend’s.

Uruha didn’t reciprocate the kiss. It happened so suddenly. Too suddenly for him to react. He should have expected more kissing, afterall he was to play the part of boyfriend. But he didn’t mentally prepare himself to feel the softness of Ruki’s pale, glossed lips. They way they glided over his made his knees weak. The kiss wasn’t short like the one they shared earlier. It was long and Ruki had reached for him with more force.

Ruki pulled away with a smirk. Despite the lack of reaction from his supposed boyfriend, he looked up at the brunette with slightly hooded eyes.

“Don’t worry. I can help you out.” His voice was sultry velvet. Uruha would pay to hear it all day. It could distract him from any problem he has.

Ruki grabbed him by the hand and led him out into the rain. But Uruha didn’t pay attention to the stinging precipitation wetting his hair. His eyes and mind focused on Ruki, as the short blonde dragged him down the alleyway beside the theater.

Before Uruha had time to process where they were, Ruki pushed him up against the the brick wall and started assaulting his lips with his own again. The blonde’s heated breath brushed against his chilled skin. The area they were standing at no longer offered cover from the rain. Beads of water ran down their skin. Ruki’s white jacket and pants were soaked right through and clung to his body, revealing the pale skin hidden underneath.

Ruki didn’t care however, as he was pressed against Uruha’s shapeshifted form. His hands roamed all over the helpless brunette’s body. He snaked one hand to rest behind the taller’s neck and his other roamed free, trying to caress anything he can.

Uruha tried to reciprocate the kiss, but he struggled when it became heated rather than passionate. He moaned, to his own surprise, as he felt Ruki’s groin press against his leg. A hardened bulge was forming under the soaked fabric. The way Ruki acted was brought on by pure lust, and the genie didn’t know how to respond. He fought back his own enjoyment.

_This is wrong._

Ruki soon dropped his hand between waistbands and his manicured fingers brushed against Uruha’s hardening member. The genie shrieked and pushed the waiter away from him violently. He was panting loudly as he stared at Ruki; confusion soon replaced the blonde’s lust filled gaze.

Uruha refused to take advantage of Ruki in this state. He was not Shou, and so he was lying to the blonde. These feelings the waiter had was not for him. With a heavy heart, he looked at the small man, water dripping off his blonde locks and running down his neck.

“I’m sorry.” Uruha breathed out. He placed his hands on the wall to steady himself. “But, um…”

They stood in silence. The rain still falling all around them, splashing the ground. Uruha was so surprised by Ruki, his heart felt like it wanted to escape his chest. Ruki had touched him _there._ The one place on his body he didn’t disguise. He never saw Shou naked, so his shapeshifting can only go so far. He hoped Ruki couldn’t tell.

Meanwhile, Ruki stood like a deer in headlights. He looked at ‘Shou’ contemplating what he did wrong. They always fooled around at the ends of their dates. What was different this time? He was about to ask but was soon cut off by the brunette’s small plea.

“Maybe, um, we don’t have to tonight?”

“Oh, okay.” Ruki didn’t know how to feel right now. Angry? Disappointed? Guilty? His mind was doing somersaults. He needed to say something, he felt the need to apologize for ruining their date.  “Uhh….sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry.” Uruha quickly hugged the blonde. He did not want to see his master look so crestfallen. His job was to make him happy. “Can I walk you home?”

The couple trudged through the rain towards Ruki’s apartment. Mostly, they remained silent. Uruha took off his jacket and wrapped it around the waiter’s waist so no one can see through his soaked white pants. They were both drenched and shivering when they finally arrived at the decrepit building.

Before Ruki could turn to open the door and escape the downpour, Uruha grabbed his hand and spun him around. He clashed their lips together in one final kiss for the night. The genie wanted the date to end with Ruki smiling. It was the only reason he concocted this inane scheme.

Once he pulled away, he saw some of Ruki’s worries vanish as a small grin graced his gorgeous lips.

“Today was wonderful, thank you.” Uruha pecked a small kiss on Ruki’s forehead. “Let’s do it again soon.”

The waiter giggled as they broke away from their embrace. Uruha’s heart swelled when he saw his master smiling again. Ruki then retreated from the rain into to building. As he walked up the creaking stairs, he mulled over tonight's events.   

He had been on many dates with Shou. But this one was different. And from the fluttering inside his stomach, he decide that today was a good kind of different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! I finally got it done! I even managed to put a bit of Reita x Kai in there! ;) Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It took me longer than normal to write it. Thank you all so very much for continuing to read this little story of mine! ♥♥♥


	12. Farewell

Ruki sat on his couch, a towel draped over his head as he attempted to dry his hair. He changed out of his drenched clothes and now wore black sweats and a grey sweater. The rain soaked him to the bone, causing him to shiver until he finally got warm.

The blonde stared out the window, watching the droplets run down the glass. He thought about today’s date, and how he couldn’t stop smiling about it.

Shou was different today. He made time in his schedule for him, and showed more affection. The movie was awful, but not the presence of his boyfriend. His heart melted as they held hands. The way the brunette rubbed his thumb along the back of his hand, it was so sweet. The tiniest of gestures warmed his heart.

The only thing he couldn’t shake from his mind was the way Shou pushed him away in the alley. He never reacted like that when it came to sex. He always allowed Ruki to touch him. In fact, he was rather greedy and Ruki ended up doing most of the work. 

But the way Shou shrieked when Ruki’s hand went down his pants, the blonde waiter didn’t know what to think about it. He was reassured that he did nothing wrong, but it still bothered him. Ruki chewed at his lips as he ran the towel over his head, frizzing up his hair. 

Before Ruki could ponder the thought anymore, he heard the door to the apartment click open. The waiter lifted his gaze to see a familiar lanky figure stepping into the entrance way. 

Uruha was once again wearing his purple outfit that showed off his thighs. Despite just coming in, he was completely dry. His hair bounced effortlessly with each step; fluffy locks not withering under any dampness. Not a single drop of rain could be found anywhere on his person. Ruki assumed it was his magic’s doing. He envied him at the moment, since he was still shivering for warmth.

“Hey ‘ruha.” Ruki called. His voice cracked hoarsely after not speaking for a while.

Uruha didn’t vocalize a reply. Instead he waved his hand and walked to sit on the couch. He kept a decent amount of space between him and the waiter. It was odd, considering Ruki sat close to others with less than an inch between them. 

The genie also avoided eye contact. Ruki furrowed his brow as he took notice of this. The mystical blonde kept his gaze fixed on the floor. His tall body was also tensed sitting next to the waiter.

“I thought you were hanging with Reita and Kai today. Is everything okay?”

Uruha’s mind stuttered. He had no idea what the small man was talking about. Then he remembered about the alibi he created with his friend. Of course it’d be suspicious that he showed up without Reita. He internally kicked himself for his lack of timing. Now he had to work his mind to create yet another lie. He hated how much he’s been doing that to Ruki today.

“I left early. Didn’t want to be a third-wheel.” Uruha shrugged.

Ruki chewed his lip and stared at the genie. _Is he lonely?_ Could that be the reason for his dejected mood. The waiter never thought about it before, but Uruha didn’t have someone else to keep him company. Ruki had Shou, and they saw each other on a regular basis. Even the genie’s best friend now had Kai. But Uruha somehow got left behind.

“I’m sorry.” Ruki placed his hand on Uruha’s thigh. For the first time since he came home, the genie looked up at his master. Ruki’s eyes were kind and sympathetic. He looked as though he was sincere about his apology. Too bad Uruha had no idea why he said it. 

“For what?” Uruha was dumbfounded. He should be the one apologizing for all the lies he told today.

“I was so stubborn about this date, maybe I should’ve just seen that movie some other time and spent the day with you. You must get lonely.” 

The genie’s eyes shot open wide and his mouth hung open. Uruha swore his heart stopped for a minute. The irony of Ruki’s statement was not lost on him; if this was considered ironic, Uruha wasn’t sure. He wanted to come clean. But he closed his mouth again and felt a heat rush along his face. He quickly turned away, averting his gaze. 

Ruki tilted his head.  _ Was that a blush? How cute. _

“I, uh, no. It’s okay.” Uruha fidgeted with a loose feather along his vest to occupy his hands as he mumbled. “So….how’d it go? The date.”

The blonde immortal didn’t know what kind of response he wanted. If Ruki told him it was terrible, it was his fault. If the date was a success, well then he’d feel terrible since it was all a lie. Either way, his heart would ache.  _ Why did I do this stupid plan in the first place?  _ He sighed and tried to ready himself for the inevitable answer.

“It was nice.” Ruki’s voice was a little above a whisper. When Uruha lifted his head to look at his friend, he found the waiter was smiling while looking at the wall in front of him. A look of fondness was on his face.

“Nice?” Uruha felt his hands get clammy. He wanted Ruki to continue. “So you had a good time?”

“Wonderful actually. Shou was different this time.” The blonde waiter folded his hands between his knees. The towel was still sitting on top his head. The ends of the fabric swayed as he nodded his head.

“Different?”

“Yeah. But in a good way. He was more attentive this time.” Ruki mumbled and then sunk lower onto the couch. His back relaxing into the aging fabric. Though he spoke about the date positively, there was another easy to miss emotion on his face. Uruha stared intently, recognizing it to be guilt. There was something troubling the shorter man.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just, uh, the night didn’t end like it usually does.” The blonde bit his lip as to prevent himself from saying anything further. Uruha didn’t need to press further. He understood what his master was getting at. He knew Ruki was referencing the lack of sex. 

Before the genie could ask whether it was a good or a bad thing, the door to the apartment opened once again. The two blondes both turned their heads to watch the door creak open and close behind a nose-banded brunette.

The look on Reita’s face was almost unreadable. For all the years they’ve known each other, Uruha couldn’t tell if his friend looked downtrodden or was just masking his actual feelings. The fact that most of his face was hidden behind a white band didn’t make it easier either.

Reita shrugged off his jacket and tossed it unceremoniously onto the floor beside his shoes. Unlike Uruha earlier, he was sopping wet. He didn’t bother to use any kind of magic to dry himself as he traveled home. This worried both blondes.

Reita made his way across the hardwood floor and stood in front of Ruki. He didn’t say a word as he held his closed hand out towards the human, offering him something. The blonde looked up, the towel obscuring his left eye. He held out his own and waited for Reita to drop whatever the item was.

In his hand, Reita released a ring.  _ His _ ring. The single silver studded jewellery that was his source of magic and his prison. Ruki was perplexed.  He examined the ring, twisting it between his fingers. Nothing looked different. It wasn’t broken or damaged in anyway. Why did Reita hand this to him?

“What’s the matter?” Ruki pressed his eyebrows together as he worriedly looked at his genie roommate. 

“I was wondering,” Reita shifted his weight back and forth on his feet; swaying from side to side. He avoided making eye contact when he felt his own voice quiver as he continued. “Would you mind putting me back.”

“What?!” Ruki exclaimed. His eyes shot open and he almost dropped the ring in shock. If Reita wasn’t standing right in front of him, he would’ve definitely jumped off the couch.

“Reita! Is everything okay between you and Kai? You don’t want to return now, do you?” Uruha leapt off the couch in an instant however. His tall height towered over his brunette best friend. The conversation he was having with Ruki earlier was quickly forgotten.

Uruha felt a cold sweat settle uncomfortably on his skin. Sure, his love life was rather messy at the moment. But Kai and Reita seemed to have naturally clicked. He was happy for his friend. After centuries of serving others, the brunette seemed to have found someone who was interested in him for more than his abilities; especially since Kai didn’t know he was a genie.

“I told him about us ‘Ruha.” Reita’s voice was low and hoarse. 

“What did he say?” Ruki was on the edge of his seat. Everything hung on Kai’s reaction. The cook was a dear friend to the waiter. But he couldn’t imagine how he would react to such a revelation. It was a shock to Ruki when he first learned about genies. But he was able to adjust to it rather quickly. Kai, on the other hand, could become more emotional.

The air was thick as the two blondes held their breaths; awaiting Reita’s reply. Their eyes didn’t blink as they stared at the hard to read expression on the brunette’s face. Reita licked his lips and swallowed the lump in his throat. His mouth was dry as he broke the news to his roommates.

“He was speechless actually. I never thought I’d see him be quiet for so long.” Reita chuckled. A smile finally cracked his face.

The two blonde both exhaled loudly and felt themselves deflate. Their worries faded away and their heart rate slowed down upon seeing the brunette smile. Uruha pouted and hit his friend on the arm.

“Reita, you ass. You had us worried sick.” Uruha slapped the Reita’s arm repeatedly while he whined. The smile under the nose band grew and the brunette genie’s laughter grew louder.

“So then everything is okay between you two?” The taller genie ceased his assault on Reita’s arm and brought him into a hug. The brunette nodded and wrapped his own arms around Uruha’s. He was grateful to have met such a caring friend all those years ago, and to have their friendship continue strong.

“Why do you want to go back into the ring though?” Ruki finally stood. He flashed the jewelry in question in front of their faces.

Reita hesitated. He had a look of guilt cross his face as he nervously fidgeted with his noseband. He was tugging at the strings holding it together at the back of his head. He tightened the knot to keep it in place.

“So that way you can give the ring to Kai. Then he can be my master.” Reita held his hand up in surrender as he pleadingly looked at the blonde waiter in front of him. “No offense to you! You’ve treated us both wonderfully! But, it’s just that, um, I think I might actually love Kai so I wanted to spend more time with him.”

“Look at that blush.” Uruha giggled as he stood next to his friend. A dusting of pink was starting to peak from behind the white noseband. The blonde pointed his finger at Reita’s cheeks.

“I’m not blushing.” Reita grumbled as swatted his friend’s hand away.

“Dude you totally are. I can see it.” 

“Shut up.”

Reita growled. Uruha barked with laughter. Reita slapped him the more he pointed out the reddened skin. They were loud in their roughhousing. Uruha taking immense enjoyment in the teasing of his friend. It was his turn to pay Reita back for all the years he’s made him the butt of his jokes.

“Reita.” Ruki’s calm voice stopped the commotion. The waiter stood patiently, watching the two with a smile. He walked up to the shorter of the two genies and placed his hand on Reita’s shoulder. It was still wet from the downpour outside.

“It’s okay with me. I’m happy for you. Just treat him well, got it?”

Reita felt his heart squeeze with gratitude. An uncontrollable smile graced his lips. He no longer felt any doubts about his relationship with Kai. It was like a fog finally lifted off of him and he was able to see clearly.

“Thanks Ruki.” He hugged the waiter.

It was truly rare to find a human so caring to their kind.

* * *

 

It was a few days until Reita would officially be freed from Ruki’s ownership. The waiter wanted Kai to be present so he can receive the ring immediately afterwards. He didn’t want to lose or misplace the silver stud ring. Especially once he considered how long the brunette was trapped in it and forgotten at the bar. He did not want that situation to be repeated.

Until then, Kai kept Ruki occupied at work. He would talk the blonde’s ear off, asking about Reita and to hear Ruki’s side of things. He wondered how long the brunette had been living with him and what he did in his free time. Anything he could think of.

Kai had an ulterior reason for busying Ruki’s time. 

He knew about the date. Reita told him about Uruha’s impersonation of Shou. He also knew about the unrequited feelings Uruha felt for his own master. Reita told him everything he could, except the reason for Uruha’s memory loss. Once again, he told him his worries about revealing such details.

Kai, of course, was weary about lying to his friend. But he agreed because hearing Reita beg was too adorable. So he kept Ruki away from Shou as much as he could. It was weird since he spent so much time trying to push the two together. He now felt like some sort of anti-wingman.

The day finally came where both Ruki and Kai’s shifts ended at the same time and they agreed to group up at the waiter’s apartment. The drive to the apartment was short and quiet. Kai would be lying if he said he wasn't anxious. He had no experience with the world of genies. He didn’t know how any of this worked. But he was certain of his feelings for Reita. And he was willing to understand it all if it meant staying by the immortal brunette’s side.

Kai parked his car along the street near Ruki’s less-than-perfect apartment. He pulled up to one of the empty meters, his hands visibly shaking as he put the car in park. Ruki pretended he didn’t notice; specifically because he felt the same. He did warn Kai about the searing pain he felt when he put the ring on; giving him a heads up on what to expect. 

They made their way up the steps. The creaking of the ancient hardwood was the only sound the two made. Neither looked at the other, keeping their eyes forwards as they tried to comprehend what was going on. 

When they opened the door to the apartment, Reita and Uruha were sitting on the couch, they stopped their conversation as the humans entered the room. Reita was the first to stand, offering a small smile to the brunette cook. Uruha remained seated, awkwardly waving at the two men.

Kai walked with more hesitancy than Ruki. The blonde was used to the presence of the genies by now. But the cook didn’t know how he should act with the new information. 

“Kai.” Reita stepped in front of his lover. He only stood about an inch taller due to his hair. “Are you okay with all of this? I understand if you want to leave.”

The sadness behind the genie’s eyes twisted Kai’s stomach. He didn’t want to be the cause of any anguish. 

“No.” The brunette human practically shouted. He rushed in his speaking, running some words together. “I admit it’s kind of weird. It may take me awhile to get use to all of this.”

Kai placed both his hands on Reita’s arms. He firmly held the genie in place as he forced himself to maintain eye contact. He wanted every word he said to be believable and hold meaning.

“But I want to stay with you. I want you to stay with me. I’m certain of that. I care about you too much to run away now.” Kai smiled. His grin could lighten the mood of any conversation and ease all of Reita’s worries. 

“Man, you’re adorable.” Reita leaned down and lightly kissed the brunette’s cheek; ghosting his lips over the other’s dimple.

“Shut up.” Kai giggled and buried his head in his boyfriend’s chest.

Ruki sat on the couch beside Uruha, he didn’t leave an inch of space between them. His knee brushed against Uruha’s bare thigh. The genie shivered and tried to ignore the absence of space. He had to tell himself that it meant nothing and that Ruki does this to everyone; he always sits this closely to his friends. 

“So.” Ruki called to the embracing lovers in the middle of his living room. His arms were crossed as he watched the two pull apart and look at him. “Should we get started? The sooner the better, right?”

Reita nodded and excitedly walked towards his current master. Kai blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. He glanced over at Uruha. The blonde was looking out the window instead. Kai felt guilt well up inside his throat. Reita told him all about Uruha’s feelings towards Ruki and about the fake date. The brunette chef wanted to make it up to the tall genie; feeling some of the blame for the situation since he set Ruki up with Shou. He promised himself he’d make it up to Uruha somehow. But first, he had to focus on the present.

Reita handed the ring over to Ruki. He told the blonde waiter about the two ways to return a genie to his home. Either his master dies, which no one wanted that right now. Or the genie’s master can relinquish the being of its services. With no more need for their presence, the genie returns to their home until they are called upon again.

Ruki clasped the silver ring between his finger and held it in front of his face. He remembered the day Uruha presented him with the gift. It was such a sweet gesture. The way Uruha protectively stood over him while he confronted the then unknown genie, it made Ruki’s heart quicken and a warmth spread all over him. 

He shook the thought away and focused on what they were doing.

“Reita.” Ruki began, his hand shaking slightly with worry. He hoped everything would go according to plan. He didn’t want to see Reita trapped again. “Thank you for everything. Your services are no longer needed. You may return.”

Reita bowed his head, smiling at the shorter man. His body soon became transparent, almost like a ghost. A gold and blue smoke emitted from the genie’s body and trails of it funneled into the ring. Despite the disappearing of his figure, Reita did not seemed bothered by it. 

He turned to look at his brunette lover. Kai was visibly shaking, worrying for his lover. Reita smiled and tried to speak to soothe the mortal cook. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Kai tried to read his lips, but his vision was getting too clouded with tears that he couldn’t understand anything.

Soon the room was minus one person as the last puff of smoke vanished into the ring. 

Kai felt a sob well it’s way up his throat. Before he could open his mouth to let it escape, he felt a set of long arms wrap around his frame and cradle him against a flat, bony chest. Without thought, he brought his arms up to grip at the fabric in front of him and bury his face against the warmth.

“It’s okay Kai.” Uruha’s voice was low and soothing. “He’s alright. This is just the way things go for us. You’ll see him again real soon.”

“Will he remember me?” Kai blurted out and let a small whine escape. His tears started to overflow and run down the side of his face. He felt the arms wrapped around him tense up and the body holding him to stiffen at his question. Kai then remembered what Reita told him about Uruha’s memory loss. He realized he must’ve offended the genie.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-” Before Kai could finish his apology, Uruha interrupted him.

“Shhh. It’s alright.” Uruha rubbed the brunettes back. “He’ll know exactly who you are.”

Uruha shushed Kai and ran his hands in circles to try and soothe the human. He was new to the world of genies so it was no wonder he was confused and worried. The blonde wanted to reassure him. He knew how much Reita cared for him.

Once Kai’s shaky breathing returned to normal, Uruha let him go and backed away slightly. Ruki then stepped forwards, handing the ring over to his co worker. He smiled as he forfeited the gift his genie gave him on a whim one night. 

Kai weighed the jewelry in his hand. It was light despite the solid look to it. He hummed as he ran his finger over the silver stud. It was cold to the touch, even though he knew his genie boyfriend resided inside.

“Whenever you’re ready.” Ruki interrupted Kai’s thoughts. The cook nodded. He wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. He wanted to see Reita again.

The brunette slid the ring onto his finger with ease. The ring must change sizes from person to person because Ruki’s fingers were much smaller than his, but it was a perfect fit for him too. The silver shone brightly against Kai’s pale hands. 

The three men all stood in silence and stared at the ring. The cook bit his tongue, anticipating the pain Ruki warned him about. But so far he felt nothing. He grew impatient with the wait. He wished he could just speed up time already and have Reita free again.

Just when he thought nothing was going to happen, Kai felt a pinprick stab at his finger. He jumped and yelped a bit. Taken off guard, he looked at the ring again and saw a slither of smoke start oozing out of the ring. His heart skipped a beat at the sight.  _ Reita. _

His relieved thoughts were quickly replaced with shouts of agony as a searing pain wrecked through his hand. He cried and fell to his knees. Uruha quickly knelt down and held onto to the brunette’s arm, running his hand and cooing soothing words. Ruki also bent down, but he held the hand with the ring. Kai grasped at the waiter’s hand, squeezing it as if that would stop the pain.

A throbbing ache shot up his arm and stabbed him in the chest. He choked and felt his tears mix with sweat as they ran down his face. He knew he was shouting incomprehensible words, but it was out of his control. On instinct, he tried to pull the ring off, but Uruha grabbed his other hand and held it down firmly. 

Kai’s body convulsed in pain between the two blondes as they held him down. It was a hard sight to watch, both having already averted their gazes and gritted their teeth. Soon the ring erupted and smoke poured all around them. The men were surrounded by a cloud of of blue and gold shimmering smoke. 

Kai felt his eyes grow heavy and the pain die down to an annoying tingle instead. Before he lost consciousness, he felt a weight drape on top of him. A familiar warmth wrapped around him. He cuddled his head against muscular chest as he was cradled. Kai’s eyes finally shut and he drifted off while smiling.

The smoke slowly settled along the hardwood floor and dispersed. Uruha and Ruki sat on the ground. Reita was between them, cradling a sleeping Kai in his arms with such care, he acted like the cook was made of glass and would shatter if he let go. Reita buried his face in the mop of brunette locks sitting on top his boyfriend’s head. 

The genie let out a sniffle that startled the blondes. 

“Reita, are you okay?” Uruha scooted over to his best friend. He carefully touched his friend’s arm to get a better look at his face.

“Yeah.” Reita pulled away to look at Uruha. He startled the blonde. Tears streamed down his face, falling over his white nose band. Reita let out a chuckle and sniffled again, a grin turning the corners of his lips upwards.

“I just love him, that’s all.” 

Uruha sighed in relief. He was overjoyed for his friend; having found love after centuries of existence. It was heartwarming to see the way he looked at the human in his arms. It was enough to distract Uruha from his own predicament for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooray! So I called off work today and managed to get this chapter done! ^_^ (I didn't call off just so I could write fanfiction, but the way I worded it makes me sound dedicated. lol) Anywhose...I hoped you enjoyed the Kaita in this chapter. It's kind of a filler for the Uruki that is coming up. Hope everyone is ready for it. Thank you all so so much for reading this far. ♥♥♥


	13. Fights and Kisses

The couch was soon becoming Uruha’s regular spot. Ever since Reita left and has been living with Kai, the blonde genie spent most of his days alone. He filled his days with television. Most of the shows bored him and couldn’t keep his interest for long. But he didn’t want to be a burden on his friends, so he bared the feelings of isolation by himself.

Ruki continued going on dates with Shou. The waiter never voiced any suspicions about the date Uruha infiltrated. It never came up in conversation and so everything went back to the way it was. Uruha had Kai to thank for that, since he kept Ruki distracted most of the times, so he couldn’t talk to Shou too extensively.

Ruki was set to go on a date with Shou tonight. So Uruha had the apartment to himself. He was having a difficult time coming to terms with his feelings. He knew without a shadow of doubt that he was in love with his master. The fake date confirmed that for him. To be able to spend such intimate time with Ruki, Shou was lucky to have that every week. But Uruha kept this all to himself. He even stopped talking to Reita about it. He rather his friend smile about his own relationship than to be constantly burdened by Uruha’s problem.

He sighed and grasped the remote to change the channel. He’s already seen the show that was playing. But he didn’t want to go outside. The only two places he really knew about was Planet Nine and Taboo. He didn’t want to bother Ruki at the restaurant. And Kaya was at the bar. Instead of bothering anyone, he remained seated in the apartment. Maybe he could get lucky and some sci-fi movie would be on another channel.

* * *

 

A plume of smoke escaped from Ruki’s lips. He leaned his head against and let the silence relax his overworked mind. He was on his smoke break in the middle of his shift. Today wasn’t too eventful, but it was nice to get a small reprieve from the multiple customer orders. He didn’t want to get too worked up since he had a date tonight. 

His outings with Shou had been predictable to say the least. They never talked much about the date to the movie theatre. He didn’t want to make Shou uncomfortable by asking about his reaction towards being touched that night. Since then, Shou showed no hesitation towards intimacy.  _ So what was different? _

And Shou had once again been paying for their dates. He would not back down, refusing to let Ruki spend a single cent on anything. Things were exactly like they always been. But Ruki wasn’t too sure that’s what he wanted anymore. He missed the conversation they shared and the small, affectionate gestures. It was like Shou was a different person that night.

The door to Ruki’s left opened. He sighed, realizing his alone time was going to be cut short by another co worker’s presence. He took another drag from his cigarette and watched as a familiar brunette stepped outside. Well, at least it wasn’t someone else. Ruki didn’t mind sharing his break with Kai. Ever since he started dating Reita, the two could talk more openly about genies and magic. It was a great relief for both of them. 

Kai smiled as he stood in front of Ruki. He too pulled out a cigarette and held it in front of himself, nonverbally asking for a light. The cook let the nicotine steady his nerves as he looked off into the distance.

“So, any plans with Reita tonight?” Ruki broke the silence. He hated to admit it, but he loved when Kai’s eyes lit up as he talked about his boyfriend. Kai played the role of wingman for everyone he knew, it was about time he found someone for himself.

“No. I have to work.” Kai exhaled a puff of smoke and shook his head. His eyes were still focused down the alleyway, watching a stray car drive by every few minutes.

“What?” Ruki furrowed his brows. “But you are always off Tuesday nights. It’s been like that for years.”

“I had to trade with Shou. He was taking you out tonight, right?” Kai shrugged and looked at his friend. His smile was lackluster and didn’t contain the bright sunshine that usually followed it.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.” The waiter felt a wave a guilt crash into him. Shou asked him out tonight, and he didn’t even consider what day it was or how it would affect the restaurant before he agreed. If he’d known it would interfere with Kai’s schedule, he would’ve asked to go some other time.

“It’s not your fault. It’ll just be weird not working the kitchen for once.” Kai tapped a pile of ashes onto the ground below them. 

“But why did you have to trade? Couldn’t you have declined?” If Shou asked for the schedule change, Kai didn’t have to agree to it. It wasn’t mandatory to switch shifts with someone else. 

“Saga made the schedule change. Shou asked him.”

“How does Shou get away with that?” Ruki mumbled. A slight irritation dripped from his voice. He liked his friend too much to see him be used by his boyfriend.

“Well, he’s kind of the co-owner.”

“What?!” The blonde’s neck snapped as his head lifted up. He looked at his friend in disbelief. “He’s co-owner?!”

“Yeah. Him and Saga are the ones who opened Planet Nine together. He never told you?” The cook was confused by his friend’s reaction. 

“No.” Ruki never heard his boyfriend allude to anything of the sorts. Being a co-owner was an important detail that was never shared with him. It didn’t make complete sense to him. “But why does he work as a waiter?”

“Well, he always works the front. Didn’t you notice how he rarely waits on tables? He doesn’t need the tips since he gets so much of the restaurant's profits.”

Now that Kai mentioned it, Shou did slack off a bit at his job. He never left the front lobby and never collected tips off the tables. Plus he always paid for their dates. If he was just a waiter like Ruki, there would be no way he could afford all the movie tickets or meals he bought them both. And he also owned a car and was able to maintain the expensive upkeep. The only other employee who owned a car was Kai, and his mother helped him purchase it. Shou was also rather close to Saga. More than any other employee. 

The pieces were falling into place.

The rest of his break was spent in silence as he pondered over the new information. Kai respected that, and kept quiet. Soon they stubbed out their cigarettes and returned to their job. Ruki had questions he planned on asking Shou tonight. They ate away at him throughout his entire shift.

* * *

 

Ruki was cuddled up beside Shou. The brunette had his arm draped protectively over the small blonde. They sat on the couch and watched the program on the television in Shou’s apartment. It was much nicer than Ruki’s.

Unlike Ruki’s combination kitchen and living room, Shou’s were divided by walls and doors. The rooms were more spacious. He had a bedroom and two extra rooms; one was a guest room and the other was an office space. The walls were also neater. Shou’s apartment was wallpapered, each room having a different design. It made Ruki’s chipped brick walls look bland in comparison.

As Ruki looked around the apartment, not the first time he’d been here, Kai’s words rang through his mind. It was a grandiose place compared to Ruki’s. There was no doubt that Shou was better off financially.

The blonde waiter wasn’t sure how to broach the subject of the restaurant. They were silently watching the television, some popular program was playing. Ruki heard about it from others at the restaurant, but the show didn’t play on basic cable. You had to pay extra for these channels.

_ It’s like he’s just rubbing it in that he has more money. _

Ruki swallowed his hesitation and decided to just come right out and say it. The longer he dwelled on the topic, the more difficult it would be to talk about it. Besides, he couldn’t follow the plot of the show too well anyways; having never watched the program before. 

“Shou, how come you never told me you were co-owner of Planet Nine?”

The brunette jumped at the sudden break in silence. Ruki felt the muscles in his lover’s arms tense and his grip of the blonde tightened on instinct. Shou didn’t answer right away, his eyes still focused on the TV. But his mind was no longer paying attention to the narrative on screen. 

“Why does it matter?” Shou’s voice was quiet.

“All this time I thought you were just a waiter like me. But you’re actually like my boss or something.” 

“No. I’m no boss. That’s Saga.” Shou sat up at the claim. He refused to be in a position of power. “Why was it so important that you knew?”

“Because it’s kind of a big deal. You’re successful.” Ruki pulled away from the snuggling. He sat on his knees and looked directly at Shou.

“So this changes the way you think about me?” Shou raised an eyebrow. Ruki silently stared at him. In a way, it did change his opinions. But he didn’t want to admit it. 

“That’s exactly why I didn’t say anything. I didn’t think it mattered.”

The television show was now forgotten and acted as background noise to their conversation. Ruki wasn’t sure what kind of response he wanted from Shou. He just didn’t like the fact that this was hidden from him.

“But it’s like you’ve been keeping a secret from me.” Ruki chewed at his lips. He struggled to get his thoughts into words. “I guess I’m just not sure what someone like you sees in me.”

“Ruki.” Shou brought his hand up to rub at Ruki’s cheek. The blonde unconsciously leaned into the warm touch. “You work so hard. You have such an amazing spirit. I want to protect you and take care of you.”

“Take care of me?” Ruki’s eyes twitched. Shou accidentally struck a nerve of Ruki’s. “What am I? A charity case?”

The blonde swatted the hand away from his cheek. His jaw clenched as an anger settled on his mind.

“No. That’s not it at all.”

“Did you just want to show off and rub your wealth in my face?!” The blonde’s voice raised in volume. 

“Ruki, you’re not listening to me. Do you just want a fight?” Shou tried to keep his voice low and calming. He wanted to avoid a conflict.

“No. Yes. I don’t know.” Ruki’s mind was running wild with emotion. The rational side of him wanted to listen to Shou. With the way the blonde was reacting, it was no wonder he kept secrets. But then the other side of Ruki wanted to scream all his anger out on Shou. The brunette was everything Ruki fought against. Shou was a man who didn’t have to work hard and had everything handed to him. He got what he wanted at work because it was his own restaurant. He used his power to screw Kai over.

“This is why I never wanted to say anything. I didn’t want you to feel any insecurities.”

“But...why did you want to go out with me? Is it just for sex or…” Ruki felt like he was running out of steam. His anger was dying down. Shou’s voice was soothing him.

“Whoa! Enough.” Shou quickly wrapped his arms around Ruki. He cradled the blonde against his chest and rubbed circles along his back. “Is it so crazy that I might like you and enjoy spending time with you? You’re the one who always initiate the sex. I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“Excuse me?” Another nerve was struck. Ruki forcibly pulled away from the embrace again. 

“Don’t play dumb, Ruki.” Irritation was finally starting to form on Shou’s face. But he tried to subdue it. “All our dates end in sex. It’s what you want so I go with it.”

“What are you implying?” The blonde gritted his teeth. He looked like a cat ready to pounce.

“Nothing. I’m just stating a fact. There’s nothing wrong with it.” Shou tried to defuse the situation. Though the words he chose did little to alleviate Ruki’s anger.

“You’re blaming me!”

“No.” Shou whined. 

“Yes you are. I’m just some horny gutter rat to you.” Ruki was shouting at this point. He didn’t care.

“I said no such things. Don’t put words in my mouth.” Shou had to raise his own voice to be heard. But Ruki interpreted that as a reason to keep shouting.

“All you do is spend money on me and then we bang. I’m just a glorified prostitute to you.” The blonde pointed a finger accusedly at Shou. His other hand was balled up into a fist. His nails created red marks along his own skin the tighter he clenched his palm.

“No you aren’t. Don't let your doubts cloud your mind.” The brunette tried to reassure Ruki. The blonde’s anger overwhelmed him, he no longer wanted to see reason.

“Fuck you. All you want to do is take care of me. I’m not some poor Cinderella story where you can lord your power over me.” 

“You aren’t making any sense right now.”

“Neither is any of this!” Ruki flailed his arms. He huffed and jumped of the couch. He stormed past Shou and headed towards the front door.

“Ruki!” Shou called after the blonde, but he was ignored. Ruki scooped up his shoes and grabbed his jacket off the hook. He marched outside without putting either on. He wanted to get out of there as fast as he could, his rage blinded him.

He ran down the hallway towards the stairwell. He bypassed the elevator, he didn’t want risk the chance that some stranger would ride it with him. He just needed some alone time. Ruki stopped in the stairwell and finally put his jacket and shoes on. The steps were metal and cold to the touch, unlike the carpeted hallway.

Ruki ran down the steps two at a time. He didn’t allow himself a moment to stop and think. He bolted out of the building, not giving a second glance. He didn’t think to look back on the way he reacted. His only focus right now was to get back home. Back to his apartment.

* * *

 

Uruha yawned. His eyes wanted to fall shut from the boredom. His body was starting to leave a dip in the couch since he sat in the same spot each day. The movie he had been watching on TV ended and the last of the credits scrolled along the screen. He didn’t have the energy to change the channel, so he left it on as background noise to make him feel less lonely.

His head turned towards the clock hanging in the kitchen. It was after six, so Ruki was definitely on his date with Shou at the moment. The thought made his stomach churn. Uruha wondered if he’ll ever get past this jealousy. 

The genie sighed and decided to remove himself from the couch. If he was going to spend so much time in the apartment, he might as well make good use of his time. He headed to the kitchen and thought he’d try making coffee again. 

He still remembers the time he made the awful mess the last time he attempted it. But he’s been watching Ruki. It didn’t look too difficult. Trying to do something without magic, it seemed like a fun challenge to occupy his time.

Uruha stepped into the small kitchen area and opened the cabinets until he found a mug. But before he found one, he heard the apartment door open. He turned his head, surprised to see Ruki standing there.  _ He’s suppose to be with Shou. _

The blonde waiter fumbled with the laces of his shoes. He eventually managed to kick them off and shrug his jacket to the floor. He didn’t look up the entire time, so he didn’t notice Uruha’s scrutinizing gaze. 

The waiter stood up and finally lifted his head. He froze in place when he noticed the genie standing in the kitchen. It was a surprise, even though he knew Uruha would be home. He just left in a flurry of anger from Shou, that he wasn’t exactly thinking clearly. 

“Ruki.” Uruha gasped out his master’s name. The redness of the waiter’s eyes threatened to spill over with tears. His face was contorted in anger.

Ruki flinched at the sound of his name. There was no malice in Uruha’s voice. In fact, there never was. The genie has been offering nothing but his aid to Ruki since the day they met. Even when the waiter wished for him to be a little more selfish, Uruha came home with a gift for Ruki. 

Uruha was otherworldly. Always ready to help. Ruki wondered how much of that was the genie’s own freewill and how much was out of obligation. But the waiter was fuming, he needed someone to vent to. Someone he knew would listen and not judge him. And at the moment, that someone was Uruha.

“Are you okay? I...I thought you were with Shou.” Uruha shyly rubbed his arm. 

“We had a fight. I stormed off.” Ruki felt the waterworks begin to flood. There was no stopping the streams of tears from running down his face.

“I’m sorry.” Uruha quickly brought the smaller man into a hug. He didn’t offer any opinions. He waited for Ruki to open up once he was ready.

“He’s such an ass.” The waiter began. He choked on his sobs. “Did you know he is actually an owner of Planet Nine?!”

That was surprising to Uruha. He always thought the brunette was a normal waiter like Ruki. Though, he was a bit more laid-back in his job than the blonde. He can see how finding out about it would anger the blonde.

“After all this time, he didn’t tell me. He kept it a secret. As if he was doing me a favor.” The blonde mortal chuckled dryly and shook his head. His blonde locks tickled against the exposed skin of Uruha’s chest.

“He treats me like a pet. Something he has to take care of. All because he’s better off than me financially.” Ruki scoffed. 

Uruha remained silent. He swayed Ruki and pressed a light kiss to the top of his head. He tried anything he could think of that would be soothing to his distressed master. He patted and rubbed Ruki’s back, urging him to continue his spewing of emotions.

“What a jerk. He’s had everything handed to him while I work my ass off to just make rent. I even met a genie and still refuse to be like him. Like those privileged people.” 

Ruki paused to catch his breath. He was still trembling with anger. His fist were curled up against the genie’s chest. He could feel the heartbeat of the tall blonde. It was so rhythmic and soothing, he focused on it until he could regulate his breathes again. 

His eyes traced over the skin that showed from behind Uruha’s purple vest. It was so smooth and warm, he rested his face against it. Ruki studied the arms that were holding onto him. They were thin, but held some definition to them. The purple armbands wrapped around his biceps showed off the bit of muscle he had. His grip was firm as he held onto the blonde. Ruki felt so protected in the embrace.

“Why can’t he more like you, ‘Ruha.” Ruki let his thoughts escape. He wasn’t in control of his emotions, he forgot all about his filter.

“Me?!” Uruha choked and coughed. It was unexpected to hear.

“Yeah.” Ruki looked up and smiled at his friend, letting his honest thoughts free. “You’re so kind and giving. You never ask for anything in return. You always help me out when I’m feeling down. You’re more human than some of us. Such a gentle soul.”

_ And damn beautiful too. _

Ruki’s eyes scanned along the genie’s jawline. His entire face was gorgeous. There were time Ruki swore Uruha was an angel instead. The genie’s lashes batted innocently with his confusion at the smaller man’s words.  _ Was this really happening? _

The waiter then let his eyes fall onto the plump lips that were dangerously close to his face. He remembers the first day Uruha entered his life and the surprise kiss he received. The way the genie’s soft skin glided effortlessly over his own, the memory was sending shivers through Ruki’s spin. He was so stupid to push the genie off of him that day.

The blonde human lifted his head and closed the distance. His lips soon encompassed Uruha’s. He savored the taste of them, greedily taking all he could. It took a moment before the genie reacted. Uruha was stunned. He paused, before he decided to kiss back. 

_ This is for Ruki. _ He told himself. It was what the waiter needed. A sense of comfort, of belonging. Ruki needed to let out his emotions one way or another. And if the genie took some enjoyment out of it, there was no harm in that. Uruha silenced all the negative, nagging thoughts and relished the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. I'm so excited to post this. This and the next chapter were the most fun to write because it's finally Uruki and I've had it planned since the beginning of this fic. I must warn you that there will be angst coming up, but I hope the Uruki kiss makes up for it. ^_^


	14. Heat of the Moment

Ruki brought his hands up and wrapped around Uruha’s neck, deepening their kiss. He licked at the genie’s bottom lip, silently asking permission to enter his mouth. The genie gasped and Ruki’s tongue invaded. His mind was swimming with delight at the hot breath that pushed against his tongue. Uruha was surprisingly good at kissing. 

The genie rested his hands on Ruki’s waist. He gasped and moaned into the kiss, the feeling of Ruki kept him grounded, making him realize that this was reality. This was really happening; it wasn’t some kind of fantastic dream. After the long time of yearning, he was finally able to indulge in Ruki’s taste. 

Uruha released a rather loud moan. The vibration against his tongue sent a sensation right to Ruki’s groin. Without a further thought, the waiter pushed Uruha backwards and pinned him against the wall. Uruha didn’t fight back, his mind was clouded by the rapturous sensation of the human. 

Ruki rubbed his clothed crotch against Uruha’s bare thigh. Uruha’s purple outfit always showed off the genie’s succulent, bare skin. It was driving the waiter wild. His hands roamed over Uruha’s body, caressing every piece of exposed skin he could find. His fingers traced lines along the genie’s biceps. Ruki continued the movement of his hand and tickled the skin of Uruha’s neck and jaw.

The blonde human lowered his kisses and soon ravished Uruha’s neck and clavicle. He left sloppy, open mouth kisses against the skin, leaving a trail. He brushed his teeth against the prominent bone of the immortal’s chest causing a deep groan to escape Uruha’s lips.

The genie brought his hand up to cover his mouth. But it was too late to silence the loud moan. The sound was pure bliss to Ruki’s ears. A lustful look filled his features as he felt his groin harden at the noise. He looked up with hooded eyes at his genie. The pink dusted cheeks and sweaty temples made Uruha look so innocent as he tried to quiet any future noises he’d make. 

“Don’t cover your mouth.” Ruki whispered and grabbed Uruha’s slender hand. He lightly kissed each knuckle before letting it drop limp to his side. “I like to hear your noises.”

The blush on the genie’s face deepened and he averted his gaze in embarrassment. It was so cute, Ruki was reaching the end of his wits. He grew impatient and decided he wanted more. He wasn’t satisfied with just kissing the genie, he wanted to hear all the noises he could make. Ruki promptly knelt down in front of Uruha, his head leveled with the exposed thighs.

Gingerly, the waiter pressed his lips to the smooth, hairless skin. His hands gripped the genie’s calves, steadying himself as he admired the genie’s legs. He moved upwards and relished in the heat he felt radiating off the genie’s inner thighs. They were so sensitive, he heard Uruha’s gasp and breath grow heavy. His legs were always bare for all eyes to see. Always out in the open, teasing the world. But now Ruki was claiming them with his rough kisses.

Ruki grazed the skin between his teeth, causing bright red marks to appear. Each time he’d bite down, a guttural moan escaped Uruha’s throat. The genie’s hands rested against the wall, clawing at the brick to find purchase. He wanted to cover his mouth and hide his pleasured noises, but Ruki enjoyed them. So he fought against instinct and continued to fill the air with his whimpers and groans. 

The waiter ran his tongue up the supple flesh, until he reached the hem of Uruha’s purple shorts. He pressed his tongue slightly under the fabric and then licked his way back down the thigh. He continued this a couple of times, teasing the genie before doing the same to the other thigh. Ruki alternated between the genie’s legs, praising each one equally. Uruha’s skin soon became coated with a mixture of saliva and sweat. The blonde human noticed the fabric of Uruha’s shorts stretch and constrict as they tented in the front. 

A cocky smile graced Ruki’s swollen lips. As he continued his worship of Uruha’s thighs, his one hand rested on the genie’s crotch and fidgeted with the zipper. 

“Ruki…” The genie whimpered, but his mind was flooded with exhilaration, he felt like he was drowning. He couldn’t function and place words to thoughts. His rasped breathing was all that could be heard.

“Shh, it’s okay.” The waiter hummed as he stopped his work on Uruha’s legs and looked up. His eyes were hooded and filled with lust. Unceremoniously, he freed the genie’s semi-hard cock and let it rest in his palm. 

Uruha’s face was stinging a bright red from being exposed like this in front of his master and long time crush. He wasn’t sure what to think. His mind was useless as he focused on the tingling feelings Ruki created with each touch.

The waiter shifted his attention from the genie’s thighs to his hardening member. He pressed a few breathy kisses to the shaft and began running his tongue along the length. He licked to the slit of the now fully hardened cock and parted his lips. He sucked the tip in and looked up at Uruha. The genie’s eyes were wide and his mouth hung agape, no sounds coming out; surprised at what was happening.

Ruki hollowed out his cheeks and engulfed more of the erection into his mouth. He sucked and licked along the length; tracing every vein and flicking his tongue the whole length. His head bobbed up and down and he sped up his pace as he heard the uncontrollable whines and moans escape Uruha’s mouth. 

The genie’s one hand rested on top of Ruki’s blonde locks. He needed to touch the waiter, to prove to him that this was not some fantastical dream. It was real. His other hand gripped at the wall, chipping his nails.

Ruki enjoyed the touch. He closed his eyes and hummed. He always enjoyed when someone gripped his hair during a blowjob. It was something he hadn't felt in a long while. Admiration. Pure affection. Uruha was enjoying what he was doing, and showed him that much. 

The vibration of Ruki’s purs sent a tingling sensation through Uruha, resting in the pit of his stomach. His heart was racing and his breathing grew louder and raspier. His grip on the blonde’s hair tightened as he began to lose himself to the clouded pleasure he was feeling. 

Ruki flicked his tongue against the tip and tasted the precum. He wasn’t ready to end things yet. He let Uruha’s cock spring free from his mouth with a lewd popping sound. The genie whimpered at the loss of warmth, but Ruki had other plans. He was hypnotised by the ever present thighs, and wanted to show Uruha that.

The waiter stood up and pressed his lips to Uruha’s again. Their breathes intertwined as they both tried to fill their lungs. Ruki worked with a carnivorous intent. He greedily peppered the genie’s jaw and neck with rough kisses and love bites. He left a trail of pink marks in his wake.

His hands were pressed firm on Uruha’s hips. Once Ruki decided he was done assaulting the genie’s clavicle, he forcibly turned him around so Uruha was facing the wall. The genie was too far gone in his mind to put up any resistance. He yelped at the sudden change in position, but obliged quickly and fisted both his hands against the coarse brick wall. He was enjoying every kiss, every touch, and every second of Ruki’s attention. Ruki kissed the back of his neck, finding the most sensitive areas to make the blonde immortal arch his back and mull. While he teased the vulnerable area, his hand undid his pants and freed his own cock from the tight confines of his jeans. He pressed his crotch against the back of Uruha’s leg. He grinded his cock against the genie’s bare thigh, feeling the smooth skin caress his erection. 

With both his hands, he moved them down his hips and pressed the genie’s legs together tightly. Carefully, he pressed his cock between the smooth skin of the thighs that were squished together. The combination of sweat and saliva Ruki created earlier allowed his member to slide between them with little resistance. The heat that radiated off Uruha’s inner thighs caressed the human’s cock, feeling just as euphoric as penetration sex. 

Uruha bent forward to adjust his height for Ruki. He pressed his back end and legs out more for the waiter to have better access to his thighs. The human started slow to allow them both to get use to feeling, then he picked up pace. Ruki angled himself so his cock would brush against Uruha’s clothed balls and taint. Each time he’d hit these areas, the genie let out a shameless wail.

Ruki continued to kiss the back of Uruha’s neck and whispered groaned words against the flushed skin. His one hand continued to hold onto the genie’s thigh, but his other roamed to reach around Uruha. He wrapped his hand around the immortal blonde’s cock that was bouncing against the wall. Ruki started to stroke it with the same rhythm as his own thrust.

The slapping of skin and groans echoed against the walls. If any neighbors were home, they definitely heard the unashamed noises the pair made. Ruki savored the feeling of the supple thighs bouncing against his erection. Everyday, Uruha flaunted his legs to the public; but now Ruki was the only one who had the joy of knowing what they tasted and felt like. It was a selfish pleasure.

Uruha’s knuckles turned white as he tried to grip the wall. He hands clawed to find purchase, but only managed to crack his fingernails and scratch his palms. Small trails of blood slithered down his fingers. The coarse wall did not stop the pleasure from eradicating his body, however.

Soon, the bottom of his stomach constricted and his mind clouded. Before he knew it, Uruha growled and reached his limit. His eyes shot open but his vision was blurry as he felt himself empty his seed against the wall and into Ruki’s hand. His muscles slacked and he struggled to keep his footing. He ended up leaning backwards against Ruki, who was still grinding between his thighs. The sight of Uruha and the feeling of heat encompassing his cock brought the waiter to climax. He bit down on the genie’s shoulder as his cum painted the insides of Uruha’s thighs. 

The weight of the genie and his own tiredness brough the human to fall to the floor. Their bodies sat, slumped against each other. Ruki rested his head against Uruha’s back. Both men closed their eyes and focused on their breathing. The orgasm they both experienced left them with hazy minds. The experience was euphoric. Uruha couldn’t remember the last time he felt such pleasures. 

After sitting on the floor for nearly a half an hour, the bliss soon wore off their post-orgasmic state and reality threatened their loving embrace.

Ruki’s eyes shot open at the realization. The fog on his mind lifted.  _ You just cheated on Shou! _

He was internally screaming at himself. He just used Uruha for a release. Plus he just cheated on his boyfriend. Shou didn’t deserve this. Neither did Uruha. In one motion, Ruki just mistreated two men who did not do anything to warrant any malice. Ruki had overreacted and now was left with the consequences. A panic stiffened his muscles and jumbled his nerves.

“Sorry.” His voice was hoarse as he whispered an apology to the genie.

With more force than he intended, Ruki pushed Uruha off him and ran to the door. He tucked himself back in his pants and reached for his shoes. He slid his feet into them without tying the laces. Ruki ignored his jacket and ran out the of the apartment without it. He slammed the door behind him.

Uruha was left sitting on the floor by himself.

* * *

 

It was much colder outside than Ruki remembered. His breath came out in plumes of white clouds - his warm breath fighting against the frigid air. The blonde hugged his arms to his chest to keep the cold from rattling him too much. Then again, he was only wearing a light sweater as he trekked through the streets. 

He spent over twenty minutes racking his brain on what to do. He panicked and ran out of his apartment with no destination. No plan. All he knew was that he had to get away. His instincts told him to run from Uruha. He made a huge mistake and he was completely lost as to what to do. He wanted to be alone. But he also wanted to talk to someone about this. He felt guilt for what he did to Uruha and Shou. But he enjoyed it, it felt natural. Why was it so easy for him to lose himself with the genie.

He sighed and continued to trek through the city. The wind assaulted his face and blew his hair back. If he stayed outside like this much longer, he was sure to be sick. He needed to come up with a plan.

Ruki looked up at the buildings around him. He must have walked further than he expected because he was almost on the other side of town, close to where Kai lived. The waiter thought for a moment, and decided it was better to go see the cook than to continue his aimless journey in the cold night.

He started towards the direction of the apartment. His mind ran loops around itself as he tried to figure out what to say. Would Kai even look at him after he told him what just happened. Kai was the one who pushed Shou and Ruki together. Would he be disappointed? 

_ I need help even though this is all my fault. I really fucked up. _

The blonde finally reached the apartment and headed inside. He stood in the entrance for a few minutes to get the feeling back into his frozen limbs. His skin was growing numb with the constant exposure to the outdoors. At least the attempted frostbite helped him confirm that this was actually happening and not some nightmare he was experiencing. He was just glad that Kai’s apartment could actually afford heating. 

Like his mind was running on autopilot, he walked up the stairs to his friend’s apartment without a second thought. His mind was clouded over as he seeked out some comfort. 

Before he knew it, he was already standing in front of a familiar door and lightly knocking. At first he heard no noises and no replies from the other side. So he urged himself to knock a little louder. His knuckles hitting against the wood echoed through the hallway. He hoped no neighbors would come out and investigate why anyone would be having a visitor at this time.

After what felt like an eternity of standing in the same spot, Ruki finally looked up when he heard the door open. His eyes met with a familiar noseless brunette.

“Ruki?!” Reita shook his head in disbelief before he opened the door wider to let the small man in. “What are you doing here?”

Ruki entered and chewed his lip. He had trouble forming the words. He noticed that Reita was standing beside him in a pair of black jeans and his white nose band, but nothing else. He was shirtless and had small pink marks decorating his chest. The genie kept wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. 

“Am I interrupting something?” Ruki’s voice was a squeak. He felt like he was teetering on the verge of a breakdown.

“Um, no it’s fine. Why don’t you have a seat? I’ll let Kai know you’re here.” Reita smiled and blushed. He walked the waiter to the couch before disappearing to get his new master and boyfriend from what he assumed was the bedroom.

Ruki propped his feet up on the couch and hugged his knees to his chest. He buried his head and tried to steady his breathing. He was terrified of everything at the moment. He was scared of what his friends would think once he told them. Afterall, it was all his fault.

_ Why the hell did you do that? Shou is too good for you. He never told you you were worthless, that’s your own insecurities not his. He treated you nice. And you throw a fit when he keeps one secret and sleep with another man. Not even a man. A fucking genie. And Uruha doesn’t deserve to be used like this. You are surrounded by good people and all you do is leech off them.  _

“Ruki!” Kai’s voice sprung the blonde out of his negative spiral of thoughts. 

The brunette sat beside the waiter on the couch, his shirt was wrinkled and his face was flushed. Ruki knew he interrupted his and Reita’s evening, and that made him feel terrible for being so selfish.

“What’s wrong?” Kai rested his hand on the blonde’s petite shoulder. “I thought you were with Shou tonight?”

With that innocent question, Ruki’s mind broke. Tears exploded from his eyes and ran down his face in long strands. His voice cracked with each sob that escaped his throat. His body shook as he whined and whimpered out his pain. He couldn’t keep it in anymore.

Reita sat down on the other side of Ruki, and he rubbed his back in calming circles while Kai ran his fingers through the waiter’s hair. The couple cooed and tried to comfort their friend to the best of their ability. Even though they had no idea what was wrong.

Eventually, Ruki’s sobs quieted down enough that he was able to speak.

“I fought with Shou.” Ruki managed to get out between sniffles.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Kai was sympathetic. His voice matched the concern look on his face as he tried to comfort his friend.

“I overreacted. I pushed all my problems onto him. Just so I can blame him and make everything his fault instead of mine.” The waiter rambled. Voicing out his thoughts made him feel lighter. But it didn’t erase the guilt. “I’m such an idiot. He never did anything wrong.”   


“Couldn’t you just apologize? Tell him what you just told us.” Kai tried to reason.

“No. Not after what I just did.”

“What?” The cook was patient as he awaited a reply. He was ignorant to the situation Ruki had found himself in. Things weren’t as simple as they appeared. Sure he could apologize to his boyfriend, but that wasn’t enough to make up for unloyal actions.

“I….” Ruki swallowed a lump in his throat. It wasn’t easy to admit. “I cheated on him.”

“Oh.” The room fell silent. Kai’s hand stopped and he sat still beside his friend. Shock evident on his face. 

“I don’t know what came over me. I was hurting and just needed the comfort. I shouldn’t have done that. He was just standing there and I used him like that.” Ruki rambled. He didn’t like the silence. He felt the need to explain himself, maybe Kai wouldn’t think he was as bad of a person as Ruki considered himself to be.

“Who?” Reita finally spoke up. His voice was low. Ruki looked and found the the genie had intently stared at him since his hurried summary of the night. He felt the piercing gaze of the genie’s dark eyes. Ruki was too frightened to continue. 

“Ruki, who did you sleep with?” Reita grabbed his former master’s shoulder firmly turning him so they were face to face. The genie wanted his suspicions confirmed. 

“Uruha.” Ruki lamented. He knew he couldn’t get by without admitting who he cheated on Shou with. 

“Whoa.” Kai was blown away. He hadn’t expected that.

“I know. I feel terrible. He doesn’t deserve any of this. He’s too good for me. He probably hates me and…”

“Shut up.” Reita cut him off. Wrapped his arms around the human and cradled his head against his chest. He rubbed his hands along his back. Ruki didn’t fight back, he was too dejected to. “Uruha could never hate you.”

“But I used him.” The blonde choked back a sob.

“He’s in love with you, I don’t think he’ll drop you like that.”

“What?” Ruki pulled away from Reita. He was surprised with what he heard. But he found a smile on the genie’s face. He wasn’t teasing him.

“He’s been infatuated with you for quite some time now. Before I was freed.” Reita continued. Though Ruki’s mind had a hard time conceiving the notion. Uruha was nice to him, but that was only because of the master/genie relationship. Or so he thought. The fact that anyone could love him was now questionable to him. Especially after what he did to his current lover.

“I’m not happy with the entire situation.” Reita sighed and threw his arm behind the couch. He crossed his legs and leaned his head back. “But I know he’s been wanting the peanut D for a while.”

“The D-nut.” Kai added. The couple giggled like immature school boys at their joke and pun. They were truly meant for each other.

“You guys, I don’t feel like joking right now. And I also don’t appreciate the nickname for me or my dick.” Ruki buried his face in his hands. He felt his cheeks heat up and grow flush at his embarrassment. 

“So where is Uruha?” Kai’s curiosity begged. They talked about the genie, but he wasn’t present. 

“I left him at the apartment. After we, um, did it, I ran outside. I freaked out.” Ruki was folding in on himself again. He brought his legs up and hugged them to his chest. He buried his face into his knees. He felt awful about what he did.

“So he’s alone at the apartment?” The brunette genie beside him spoke cautiously. When he saw Ruki nod his head, he jumped off the couch.

“Dammit.”

“What?” Kai didn’t understand his boyfriend’s anger.

“We need to get to him. He’s…..he’s going to…..will…..fuck!” Reita grasped fistfuls of his hair in frustration as he paced back and forth. Now he was in a state of panic.

“Wait, what’s wrong?” Kai stood and reached for his boyfriend’s hands. Reita released his hair and wrapped his fingers around his human lover’s palms. He focused on the comfort Kai projected. “What are you worried about?”

After Reita calmed down, he explained himself.

“This isn’t the first time Uruha has been in love. I’m just worried this might trigger something and he’ll end up in a deep depression again. I don’t know what will cause his memories to return. What if this did? He needs someone to help him work through them.”

“He’s been in love before? What happened?” Ruki finally looked up from his spot on the couch. He didn’t move to stand, his legs felt weak. 

“He died, leaving Uruha alone. If we never met, I’m afraid of what would’ve happened to him. That’s why I never wanted to tell him about his past. He’s already experienced so much pain, I don’t want to see him relive it again.” Reita closed his eyes and swallowed his worries.

“Most genies don’t know how we came into existence. But Uruha was the only one who remembered. He told me about Aoi and how he turned Uruha into a genie. He was human once.” 

The room fell quiet and a slight tension filled the air. The humans tried to process all the new information. Reita looked tired from telling his story that he slumped his head against Kai’s shoulder. A new worry seeped its way into Ruki’s mind. He no longer cared about himself or his relationship. Now he solely focused on Uruha. He didn’t want to see any harm come to the genie.

“I better get back.” Ruki jumped off the couch. He was shaky on his legs, but he headed towards the door.

“We’re coming with you.” Reita pulled away from Kai. Determination etched all over his face. 

“We don’t know what state of mind he’ll be in. We might need to talk to him.” Kai added and moved to grab his coat.

The trio dressed for the outdoors. Kai putting on his wool coat, Reita magically dressing with a shirt and leather jacket. The couple even lent Ruki a spare jacket since he abandoned his at home. They pushed their way out of the apartment and went to the garage where Kai’s car was parked.

* * *

 

“I don’t see him anywhere!” Ruki’s voice was frantic as he exited his bathroom. 

His apartment was small, but he couldn’t find the slender genie anywhere. The trio called his name, but no answer followed. The waiter panicked immediately and walked through his entire apartment to try and find some sign.

Kai noticed the dried mess against the brick wall. He made a mental note to ask Ruki to clean it up later. The cook opened all the cabinets to look inside. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for. But he tried to find some sign as to where the genie got to.

“He couldn’t have gone far.” Kai tried to reason. Though he knew it wasn’t true. Uruha was magical and could be anywhere on this planet. He didn’t know the limitations of genie magic. But he tried to keep a level head for the sake of his friend.

Reita was searching through the living room. He half expected his friend to be sulking in the bathroom like last time. So he was surprised when Ruki tore it apart and found nothing. The waiter then went into his bedroom and dug through his closet and searched under his bed. He was frenzied in his search.

The brunette genie closed his eyes and focused on the apartment. He felt a magical presence still about. Good. That meant Uruha was still here. He followed the ghost-like connection of magic. It was like a game of Marco-Polo that humans played as children in a pool. The magical presence echoed against his own. It grew stronger when he knelt beside the coffee table. He reached his hand under it and felt a warm ceramic object.

“Ruki! Kai!” Reita called. 

The humans rushed into the living room. Their feet stomping against the hardwood as they were called. They stood in the living room as Reita pulled out a sake bottle from under the coffee table. Kai remained motionless as he didn’t recognize the object. But Ruki fell to his knees and reached for the familiar bottle.

Reita handed it over. It felt heavier than it had recently. It felt just as heavy as the first time Ruki found it in the alleyway. The cork lid was tightly fastened to it. Ruki felt tears well up as he noticed the warmth it radiated. Uruha was inside. He had to be. The air around it danced with sparkles of gold and purple.

“He returned to his bottle.” Reita stated the obvious. 

The trio were dumbfounded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay....so I had this chapter written since I started this story so I'm very proud of it despite the not-so-happy atmosphere of it. Is that weird? lol I hope I can get more written now that the holiday season is slowing down for me. ♥ But thanks for reading. Your support means the world to me! You are such lovely peoples! ♥


	15. Help from an Unlikely Place

Uruha blinked. But the images wouldn’t disappear. His skin still tickled where Ruki had touched him. 

But the warmth was gone. 

The genie was slouched on the apartment floor. His clothes were still disheveled and undone. His legs were still sticky from Ruki’s release between them. His eyes stared at the same stain he left on the wall from his earlier excitement. Ruki ran out, leaving him alone with his thoughts. 

A dangerous move.

Uruha was confused. He didn’t know how to feel about everything. One minute Ruki was ravishing him with kisses and then the next he was bolting out the door without tying his shoelaces. 

Had he done something wrong? He didn’t think so. He followed everything Ruki told him to. And the mortal blonde was just as far gone as he was. They both enjoyed themselves. 

But Uruha remembered Shou. Ruki was already taken. So then what did this mean? Did things change between them? But the waiter said he had a fight with his boyfriend, they didn’t break up. Then it hit him.

Ruki must be feeling shame. 

Uruha swallowed the bile forming in his throat. He made Ruki feel this way. No wonder he ran out of the apartment the way he did. What they did together shouldn’t have happened. How could Uruha use Ruki like this? He only wanted to comfort his master, not take advantage of him.

The genie felt like an avalanche was crushing his spirits. His limbs were too heavy to move as guilt settled in the pit of his stomach. He felt terrible and low. He wanted to cry, he wanted to scream. He just wanted to not feel these emotions anymore.

His mind worked on autopilot as he struggled to get to his feet. It took more effort than normal to get his body to cooperate with him. His joints cracked after what felt like an eternity on the floor. His thighs touching together, sending a shiver up his spine as the warm liquid started to run down his legs.

A flash of gold smoke consumed Uruha’s figure. Within a second it was gone, revealing a cleaned and tidy genie. His clothes were straightened, his legs were clean, and there were no more pink marks decorating his neck. It looked like nothing happened.

Uruha stood in the kitchen. The silence around him was deafening. He tried to clear his head of all the thoughts he was being flooded with. In the spot he stood, Ruki had touched him. It was so exhilarating. He longed for it, but not like this.

_ How could you do this to your master? _ He was a poor excuse for a genie. He was never supposed to make Ruki feel this way. He was suppose to make all of the waiter’s wishes come true, not take advantage of him.  _ You’re selfish. _ But Ruki wished for him to be selfish. And what they did felt good. Even if it was wrong. Uruha couldn’t change his mind, he was still infatuated by the blonde. This didn’t change that. But the gravity of the situation didn’t allow him to enjoy their embrace.

Despite being alone in the apartment, the voices flooding his head made too much noise. He felt like he was surrounded. And he wanted to get out.

Uruha made his way out of the apartment with long strides, almost slamming the door behind him. His breathing was labored. He needed fresh air. Uruha rubbed his hands against the wall to maintain his balance. His palms were clammy. his sweat was sticking uncomfortably on his skin the more he pushed himself forward.

Stumbling down the creaking, wooden steps he finally made his way outside. The air was cold, and the streets were relatively quiet. Not many people were out and about at this time. The sky was dark but the orange stain of light pollution painted the air above the city. 

The cold wind blew past the vast amount of expose skin Uruha showed off. But his magic kept him warm. His eyes darted around the cityscape like a cornered animal. His arms were hugged around his chest for comfort. The loneliness was starting to seep its way in. He needed something to dull this pain.

Alcohol.

A favorite of his. That was sure to bring a smile back to his face and numb his feelings. He always giggled when he tasted his favorite sake. 

Subconsciously, his feet dragged him down the sidewalk.  He wasn’t sure why he was heading in this direction, he just knew he wanted a drink. As a genie, his tolerance to alcohol was higher than humans. And he was always able to handle his drinks better than most, so becoming intoxicated was rare. But not impossible.

Maybe he could drink until all these bad feelings went away. It wasn’t the best course of action to take, but right now he wanted a quick solution. Anything to make him happy.

Not many people were out walking the street. Uruha relished this, because he was having a hard time keeping himself together. He didn’t want to explain to anyone why the stray tear fell down his cheeks every once in a while or why a whine escaped his lips. He could feel himself falling apart.

He walked past a bus stop. He remembers the first time Ruki took him out on the town. They sat in the booth waiting for the bus so they could meet the waiter’s coworkers at Taboo. He was so innocent and fresh out of his bottle at that time. He recalls Ruki telling him about the graffiti on the terminal’s map. He learned about one-night stands. And the blonde admitted to having a few himself.

Was that what Uruha was? Just a one-time fling? 

He wasn’t too fond of the idea. He knew Ruki was already taken, but he’d be lying to himself if he claimed he never wanted to embrace the human like that again. His master showed him affection he could only imagine. The idea that there could be a “next time” was exhilarating. Even if it seemed improbable. 

As if he had been in a haze, his mind eventually ceased its constant nagging when he spotted the glow of neon against the pavement. The familiar blue cursive sign no longer frightened him. “Taboo” was the only thing in his sight, but it no longer held its ominous aura. He was already feeling down, he didn’t think he could get much worse. 

“Screw it!” He shouted internally as he stomped through the doors. He wanted a drink, he no longer cared where from.

Upon entrance, the building wasn’t too crowded. Tuesday nights weren’t infamous with drinking. Most people probably stayed home to get ready for the next workday. It was still dimly lit, but Uruha found his way to the bar with ease. He didn’t see Kaya right away. He was glad. He didn’t want to be bothered. 

Uruha sat at the bar and ordered drink after drink. He downed them all with ease. The burning of the alcohol running down his esophagus filled him with a comfortable warmth. His mind was slowly starting to tingle. It took a while, and quite a few drinks for him to even enter his tipsy state. 

But the thoughts still plagued him. 

So he ordered another drink. The bartender working in a robotic fashion dispensing the drinks. Never questioning, just serving. Uruha was slouching forward, desperately trying to silence the thousands of voices screaming in his head.

In his peripheral vision, he saw a shadow move closer towards him. He didn’t need to guess who it was. He knew.

“My my, what has you so blue, Uru?” The sultry voice of Kaya ghosted against the shell of his ear. 

The blonde genie turned to eye the bar owner. Kaya’s black hair was cropped short and a large black sun-hat donned the top of his head. The dress he had on was the color of the night sky and hugged his body in all the right places. The corset expertly gave him an hourglass shape. The roses on his necklace framed his exposed neckline. The white fur cape wrapped around him added to his striking appearance. He always dressed to kill, and to be honest Uruha felt the intimidation.

The slender blonde quickly realised he left his bottle at the apartment. Without his source of magic, he wouldn’t be able to fight against Kaya should the situation arise. But he couldn’t bring himself to care. He was hurting, and didn’t want to deal with any of Kaya’s games.

Uruha shrugged his shoulders and continued his drinking unbothered. Kaya’s bright crimson lips smirked.

“Oh darling, you don’t have to be so cold. I’m not your enemy.” Kaya’s hands tapped against the wooden bar. 

“Then why did you try to tear apart me and Reita the last time I was here.” Uruha’s words came out in a bit of a slur, his mood not lightening due to the alcohol.

“Your friendship is stronger because of it, no?” Kaya batted his long lashes innocently. “There was no harm intended. I was only curious.”

Uruha grumbled. He lifted his hand to take another swig. He wasn’t too sure of what he was drinking anymore. He couldn’t remember what he ordered. He just wanted Kaya to leave him in peace. He wasn’t making things better.

“Well, I’m glad your enjoying the bar.” Kaya’s pale eyes darted towards the bartender. The average looking man had his back turned to them as he wiped down some glasses. “But it seems you haven’t paid your tab.”

Uruha froze. His hand was raised midair as he was about to take another drink. His eyes shot open as he finally turned to look Kaya in the eyes. Despite the passive-aggressive threat, the androgynous man still smirked. 

Uruha cursed himself for walking in here, especially since he was unarmed.

Before the blonde could do much else, the bartender appeared in front of him like a phantom. His strong hand was wrapped around Uruha’s thin wrists. The pressure from the grip made Uruha wince and nearly drop his glass. For the first time since he entered, he feared for his well-being.

The bartender's countenance was emotionless. He was a thrall to whatever Kaya desired, that much Uruha could figure out. He growled at the other genie.

“What do you want.” The lanky blonde realised he was cornered. He had to play whatever game Kaya hatched.

“I just want to talk.” The high-pitched femme fatale purred.

“Fine.” The bartender released Uruha from his grip.

“Not here. Follow me.” Kaya stood and strolled to the otherside of the bar. Uruha followed, rubbing his newly freed wrist. Was that bartender real, or was he just an extension of Kaya’s magic? Either way he was strong.

Kaya sashayed his hips as he led Uruha to a small door beside the bar. Without glances back, the vamp opened the door and entered expecting Uruha to follow him.

The blonde did, and closed the door behind him. He turned to look at the room. It was larger than he expected, given the size of the building from the outside. It was about as big as the bar room. The entire area was lit by blue and purple lights, long beads and crystals hung off the walls, glittering in the light. Bookshelves lined the walls beside him and a small wooden table with two chairs were in front of him. The floor was decorated with oriental rugs of multiple sizes overlapping each other. To his left was a set of stairs that he assumed led to some sort of sleeping quarters. 

“Have a seat.” Kaya pointed to one of the chairs as he strolled past the table to light a candelabra on the wall. The entire room was so decadent, it contrasted to the divey bar upon first entrance. 

Uruha obliged, but leered at the bar owner. “What to you want?”

“I believed you already said that.” Kaya giggled. “Like I said I only want to talk.”

“Then talk.” The blonde crossed his legs and leaned his back against the chair.

“Tell me, what’s troubling you Uruha?”

“What do you care?” 

“You may not remember, but we were friends once. You always managed to peak my curiosity. You were always different than the rest of us.” Kaya finally took the seat opposite the blonde. He had a faraway look about him. Like he was lost in a memory. “Plus you almost drank me out of house and home out there. Consider this repayment.”

“Sorry.” Uruha blushed. Sometimes he couldn’t help himself. “Um…”

The blonde scratched at the back of his hands nervously. Reita taught him to be guarded around Kaya. But at the moment, the genie was the only one he could turn to. Ruki was gone. And he didn’t want to bother Kai and Reita more than he already had. 

“It’s Ruki….”

“Your new master.” Kaya nodded his head. His chin rested in his hand as he listened intently.

“Yeah. He’s kind of….well, he doesn’t really need me.” Uruha chewed his lip as he lamley tried to process his thoughts. He didn’t want to spill his guts to Kaya just yet. He was trying to work through it.

“How so?”

“He...he has a boyfriend. And a job. And good friends. He did everything on his own without my help. He lives the life he wants and never ask anything of me. He’s so independent.” 

“Then why does he need you?” Kaya’s words stung. It reminded Uruha of all his insecurities and the self-doubt that always gnawed at the back of his mind.

“I’ve asked myself that more than once.” The blonde whispered and slumped forward. His eyes downcast on the table. 

“Maybe he doesn’t have everything he needs.”

“Hmm?” Uruha furrowed his brow and gave the feminine genie a puzzled look.

“He must keep you around for some reason. Otherwise he’d relieve you of your services.” Kaya reasoned. He shrugged his shoulders as if it was an obvious fact.

Uruha never thought of that before. Even though Ruki never wished for anything, he didn’t show any distaste towards the genie’s presence. The waiter spoke to Uruha freely and comfortably. He never forced the genie to leave. In fact, he always welcomed him with open arms and helped him when he was down.

“There’s something you’re not telling me. I’m not dumb. Did something happen between you two?”

“Yeah.” The guilt returned. How could he have ever doubted Ruki? The man was an angel in a mortal body. He never did anything malicious. That’s why Uruha was convinced that whatever happened between them was solely his own fault. “We had sex.”

Kaya said nothing. The air hung thick with silence. Uruha was blushing like mad. He was too embarrassed to make any eye contact. This was the first time he admitted it out loud. It left a bitter taste on his tongue.

The lack of response from Kaya was driving him insane. He swallowed his shame and willed himself to look up. He was furious. He just spilled his guts to the bar owner and received nothing in return. 

But when he looked up, he was surprised. Kaya no longer wore the mischievous grin he grew accustomed to. Instead, his was twisted into a frown and his trimmed brows furrowed in concern.

“Do you remember anything?”

“What? Of course! It happened no longer than an hour ago.” Uruha felt his cheeks heat up even more. He was not going to tell Kaya any sorted details. He feared his heart wouldn’t stand much more of this.

“No. I mean, from before.” Kaya waved a black, velvet gloved hand in the air beside him. A small smile twitching at the corners of his mouth amused.

“No. Why would I?” The blonde tilted his head to the side. The line of questioning throwing him for a loop.

“Hmm, so I guess that wasn’t enough to lift it.” Kaya sighed. “I thought maybe such a connection with another would help.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’ve theorized about your memory loss. I thought maybe a new love would jog that pretty little head of yours. But alas, that proved fruitless.” Kaya scooted the chair out and stood. His heels clicked against the floor as he made his way towards one of the countless bookshelves. “No bother. I have a plan B.” 

“What are you going on about?”

Kaya ran his fingers against the spines of the rows of books. His eyes studied each title with intensity. He finally stopped his pacing and hummed as he pulled out a lavender colored book. The pages were yellowed from aging and the golden letters on the cover were nearly unreadable.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to help you, geez.” Kaya rolled his eyes and giggled as he cracked open the ancient looking book. “You’re like a child with the questions. Can you please be quiet while I concentrate.”

Uruha bit his tongue. He didn’t mean to be a nuisance, he was just confused. He couldn’t keep track of Kaya’s train of thought. One minute he’s grilling him about Ruki the next his nose was buried in a book. Uruha was uncomfortable. He no longer knew what he expected.

“Oh. That’s all? Well, that should be simple enough.” Kaya smirked and slammed the book shut with one hand. 

The dark temptress held out his other hand and snapped his fingers. In his palm, a pink and gold puff of smoke appeared and then evaporated leaving behind a scroll. Kaya gripped the rolled parchment in his gloved hand and hummed contently. He walked forward and held it out to the confused blonde.

“Here, this is for you.” Kaya offered the scroll to the blonde.

“What is it?”

“It should help you gain all your memories. Consider it a gift.” The high-pitched genie smiled. It was a genuine grin. No malice or mischief behind it.

“But, why? Why give this to me?” Uruha ran his fingers along the rolled paper.  _ Is this for real? _ What he craved for so long was now in his hands.

“We were friends once. I want you to remember that.” A twinge of sadness infected his sultry voice. 

“But why help me? Won’t this get you in trouble? You’ll be punished.” Uruha’s eyes widened in panic. He remembered Reita’s apprehension in revealing this information.

Kaya only chuckled. 

“I’m already being punished.” He turned his gaze and looked at their surroundings. The smile on his face faltered. His words were bittersweet.  “There’s no harm in it.”

Uruha looked at the scroll in his hands again. All the answers to his questions were within reach. He couldn’t believe this. It was a welcomed distraction from his and Ruki’s liaison. He started to unfurl the parchment.

“Hold up.” Kaya’s hands quickly stopped Uruha. “I wouldn’t read that here. Take it home. It’s best if you’re in familiar surroundings. Can’t have you scaring away my customers anyways.”

Uruha shook his head and chuckled at the attempted joke. He didn’t know what to think of Kaya anymore; the man he spent so longer avoiding because he was dangerous. Uruha didn’t second guess anything though. He could see the feminine genie was genuine in his actions.

“Thank you. I don’t know what else to say.” Uruha was speechless as he hugged the scroll to his chest.

“No need to say anything. Just run along. I know your eager.” 

Uruha did just as he was told. He bowed and quickly jotted out of the room, an uncontrollable smile graced his lips. HIs entire body bounced with excitement as he exited the bar and ran home with his prize.

Kaya leaned against the bookshelf and glanced over the room again. His eyes wistfully studying every piece of furniture, every speck of dust. Everything he’s been staring at for what felt like eons. Nothing ever changed.

“I deserve my punishment.” He spoke to the empty room. His voice echoing off the aged walls. “But you don’t.”

* * *

 

Uruha was sitting on the cough. Butterflies assaulted his stomach. The scroll Kaya gave him was sitting on the coffee table beside his sake bottle. His palms were clammy as he tried to contain his anxiousness. He was tempted to read the paper before he got home. But he refused, and decided to heed Kaya’s words. Afterall, he seemed to be the expert in this situation.

Everything that happened with Ruki was put on the back burner of his mind as he now focused on his own forgotten memories. 

His slender fingers traced the length of the parchment. He was giddy with excitement, he tried to calm his beating heart. Soon he was fed up with waiting and unceremoniously unfurled the paper.

The thick scroll was spread out in front of him. It wasn’t decorated or fancy in the slightest. It was quite simple. The page was mostly blank save for the single character written in the center. Uruha squinted his eyes, trying to focus and see if there was more to the scroll. But nothing. There was no special magic radiating off it. No hidden message written in invisible ink. Just one, simple black character in the center.

His face dropped as he studied it with confusion. This wasn’t what he was expecting. 

“Aoi?” He read the character in question aloud. It didn’t clear up any of his confusion.

But as soon as the name left his lips, a bright flash clouded his vision and a sharp pain filled his head. He let go of the paper, it rolled back up and vanished in a puff of smoke. Uruha reached for his head and gritted his teeth at the pain. Soon his vision was assaulted by numerous flashing images. They appeared so fast, he couldn’t make sense of them all. It was like watching a movie while fast forwarding it. 

The pain dulled, and then intensified again. This time it caused him to gasp out in pain and crumble forward, almost falling off the couch. He opened his eyes, but his vision was cloudy. The memories that raced through his head flooded him with emotions from all ends of the spectrum.

The image of a dark haired man popped up numerous times. He saw plump lips decorated with a lip ring smiling at him. It elicited feelings of affection from him. His knees grew weak as felt the long forgotten touches of black-painted fingernails scratching at his thighs. Dark hazel eyes hovering over him. Warm lips on his. The same feelings he felt with Ruki, but with no regrets. Just pure affection.

Then he felt cold. Freezing. His airways were constricted as he struggled to breath. Each gasp thirsting for air, but only receiving water. Iced liquids filled his lungs and pushed him around. His body was snapped from side to side as his limbs desperately grasped at nothingness. Fear flooded his person. He lashed out, but nothing. Nothing would erase the absolute horror he screamed. 

His own voice echoed the wails of the memory. His screams resonated off the apartment walls. Uruha’s strength gave out and he fell off the couch, almost hitting his head off the coffee table. His shoulder bumped his bottle, making it roll underneath. 

The genie’s knuckled whitened as he punched his fist against the floor. He wanted this to stop. He felt like he was dying. His stomach clenched as his body lunged forward. He dry-heaved a few times, though nothing was in his stomach. 

The agony passed. A numbness fell over him. Nothing notable appeared before him. He saw images of Reita. And even Kaya, though he looked different. Both of them brought a sense of comfort. But it didn’t last long.

He then saw images of a woman. A slender frame. Blonde hair and painted lips. She looked like a Barbie doll, but lacked the joyous aura. This woman invoked fear and misery in her wake. Uruha felt his skin crawl at the image of her. He felt the breaking of bone and the cuts to skin. Pain accompanied every image of her. Pain and sadness. She never wore a smile. Only a scowl.

That pain turned into anger. Then blind rage. Uruha felt his blood boil as he clawed at the floor. He growled like a rabid animal. Speck of gold magic twirled around his fingertips at the memory. 

The images played on a loop. Each time, Uruha could slow them down enough to make sense of what was happening. But he felt every emotion associated with them. His body ached. Sweat ran down his face in large beads that soon mixed with tears. He wanted to be held. He wanted to fight. He craved affection and also wished it away. His mind was running contradictions.

Uruha couldn’t make sense of anything. He only wailed into the emptiness that surrounded him. No wonder Kaya told him to do this at home. He had no idea how intense this experience would be. He was remembering every single thing from his entire existence. He’s been alive for ages, he had so many memories to sort through. 

He needed a reprieve. He needed to find a source of comfort while he sorted things out. No one was around to help him through this harrowing experience. He cursed himself for not consulting Reita about this first.

His head slammed against the floor and he fell limp. His body was stretched against the hardwood floor as his eyes struggled to see his surroundings.

Amongst the blurred objects around him, Uruha recognized the sake bottle under the coffee table. Kaya told him to be in a familiar place. Maybe that would work.

With what little strength he had, he tried to focus on the bottle. His home. His prison. The source of his magic. Maybe the darkness that cradled him inside would offer him enough peace of mind to adjust to all the new information.

Uruha squeezed his eyes shut and called upon his willpower. He felt wisps of smoke brush against his skin. More and more clouds began to surround him. Soon the entire room was a cloud of purple and gold smoke all tunneling into the sake bottle. Uruha’s form dissipated little by little. 

His mind still sorted through the memories, but they no longer flashed in such quick procession. They slowed. Allowing Uruha to turn his attention to one for more than a second.

His figure was no longer lying on the floor. In fact, there was no trace of him in the entire apartment. He was left in peace, feeling the comfortable surroundings of magic that cradled him inside the bottle. 

He was left in silence as he processed everything. All the memories and emotions that went with them.

He felt the familiar touch holding onto his home. A distant cry echoed through the void he was entombed in. But he refused to exit this place. He had so much of his past he had to relive. He needed to be left alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! I'm so happy to be posting again. It's been a bit, huh? Sorry about that. I was so eager to get this chapter done. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.   
> ♥Happy New Year to all you lovely people! You are all so beautiful.♥


	16. Memories

The sand was warm under his legs as the small waves teased his feet. The sea air stuck to his skin. No matter how much he sat in the sun, Kouyou never manage to catch a tan. His skin would sooner burn than darken. But he didn’t let that bother him too much. Aoi told him he was gorgeous no matter what.

“How’s the water?” 

Kouyou turned his head and saw his dark-haired lover join him on the edge of the beach. The wind blew his ink colored locks against his jawline. Some strands stuck to his plush, pierced lips. His dark eyes affectionately looked at Uruha, causing the blonde to melt under the gaze.

“It tickles.” Kouyou giggled and looked away. Another wave came forward and brushed against his bare legs. The blonde’s wooden sandals were discarded in sand beside him. He rolled the bottom half of his light fabric robe up to expose his legs to the air, cooling him off.

Aoi leaned closer and pressed a light kiss to his cheek.

“Just be careful. I don’t want you to get sunburned out here.” Aoi ran his fingers down the smooth skin of Kouyou’s thighs. “If you don’t soon learn your lesson, I’ll stop making the elixir.”

“Don’t be so mean.” The blonde pouted. His cheeks puffed up and his bottom lip protrude forward. 

“Damn, you’re too adorable.” Aoi chuckled and nuzzled the blonde’s neck. Teasing his lover was his favorite pastime. The tall blonde made his heart race. His beauty was otherworldly. Ever since Kouyou entered his life, Aoi managed to smile every day. 

Since a young age, Aoi, known to his family as Yuu, suffered from nightmares and hallucinations. At least that’s what his parents told him. And he believed them. He never could make sense of these visions. Most were chaotic and foreboding. He always ran to his parents crying when he experienced them. But they told him to be quiet about them. They had a reputation to uphold, despite not being nobility. His parents always focused on their appearance to others. They acted like nobles, probably because they hoped to be considered one.

It wasn’t until he was eleven that he learned how to interpret and understand his dreams. His older sister found him curled up in the corner of his room, cowering in a fetal position. He dreamed about fire and horrible burning smells. It was so realistic, unlike the abstract ones he’s been suffering with.

Two days later, they heard word that an entire town nearby burned to the ground. There were few survivors, most perishing in the blaze. Yuu was stunned when he heard this. He was so young, it had to be a coincidence.

As he grew older, the visions frightened him less and less. Soon he became comfortable with his clairvoyance. He studied his precognitions and used all the means available to him to identify their meanings. He was able to warn his entire village of an attack. They prepared and managed to defend themselves. 

Despite the great tragedy Yuu saved them from, his family and neighbors shunned him. Having such abilities could only bring about trouble. Some neighbors accused Yuu of bringing the invaders to their front doors in the first place. Heartbroken, the teenage Yuu turned his back on the village and left in the middle of the night. He would not stay where he was unwelcomed. He never bid a farewell to his family, for they disowned him.

His journey was aimless. He had nowhere to go and no money. He travelled from town to town, begging for work and food. Anything he could do, he did. He kept his foresight a secret, after the harsh treatment from his childhood home. If he saw disaster for the town he currently resided in, he’d pack up and leave. That was why he barley made any strong connections with people.

One day, Yuu was struggling to catch fish in a nearby river. His stomach growled angrily with each failed attempt. He cursed as his pole finally snapped and vanished into the rushing water. He fought the angry tears that threatened to spill. 

The dark-haired teen threw the useless remains of his fishing pool against a nearby tree and stalked off along the river. He remembered in a dream a few nights ago he saw abstract images of an elderly man. There was also the sensation of rushing water followed by the lack of oxygen. It was odd, he usually had no problems deciphering the images. Normally, Yuu avoided the areas he saw in his visions. But he couldn’t make out the latest dream, so he went about his day.

That day, he found an old man floating down the river, uselessly fighting against the current. He struggled to breath and his head dipped under the water. 

Yuu acted on impulse and dove in. He fought with all his strength, and pulled the man to shore. He was not planning on saving a life, but he assumed that’s what the previous night’s vision was. The gentleman was so grateful that he offered to feed the starving teen. Elated, Yuu followed him without hesitation.

The elder lived in a small shack in the woods nearby. The walls were decorated with all kinds of runes and chalk drawing. There were books and tomes scattered on every surface. Stalks and herbs hung from the ceiling and incense burned a calming aroma.

While Yuu ate his first decent meal in years, he learned that the man he rescued was a sorcerer; one of the few people who still practiced the ancient magic forgotten to the world. Normally, this fact scared passerbyers. But Yuu was brought to tears of joy. He told the man of his precognitions and felt a genuine connection with another human being; the first time in his life.

From that day on, Yuu was taken under the old man’s wing as his apprentice. He changed his name to Aoi, cutting off all ties to his former life. The man treated him like a son, raising him and teaching him. Due to Aoi’s existing connection to the bizarre, studying magic came naturally. He was fed and taken care of until the inevitable day when the man passed. Aoi, then a young adult, cremated the man and scattered his ashes in the forest.

A year passed before the encroaching loneliness filled Aoi’s heart. The shack was no longer a home without his master and adoptive father. He packed up all the tones and spell books before burning the shack to the ground. He did not want to let their home become desecrated by roaming criminals or hunters; he’d rather see it as a pile of ash.

So once again, Aoi travelled with no destination. He went from town to town and offered his aid. Some villages welcomed the sorcerer, others shunned his magic. He soon learned who to avoid. His deceased master warned him about people’s perspective of magic.

Aoi was passing through one village on the water’s edge, it was runned-down from a recent attack and received no aid from any government. It had no members of the aristocracy in it for anyone to care. Everyone were peasants and laborers. Aoi felt bad for the citizens, so he decided to help.

He conjured supplies for building and found edible food in the nearby wilds. At first, the townspeople were apprehensive of accepting the help of an outsider. Especially since outsiders were the cause of the damage. But with enough persistence, they greatly welcomed the aid. They even accepted the use of his magic and heeded his knowledge.

Aoi was walking through the mostly rebuilt town center, when he saw the most gorgeous human he’d ever laid eyes on.

The man was working with the other laborers rebuilding a shop. His blonde hair made him stand out from the rest by miles. His lanky arms held boards in place over other worker’s head as they secured it with nails. His build was slim and pale, unlike the others who were tanned and had more muscular definition to them. 

His physique was so feminine, Aoi was drawn to him. 

He ran over and aided them in their building, getting close to the mystery man. They talked and Aoi discovered his name to be Kouyou. He lived with his mother and two sisters, his father was killed trying to defend their home.

They spent more time together, outside of working. Aoi would follow him home and meet his family. When he gathered food, he always made sure Kouyou had a little extra for his family.

The entire town loved the sorcerer, but Aoi was only focused on the affection of one slender blonde.

The day he finally confessed his feelings to the blonde, he was attacked with a bear hug and barrage of kisses. Kouyou reciprocated his feelings and clung to the man. The connection they had was unmistakable, some of the townspeople wondered why they didn’t get together sooner. Kouyou was a respected member of the town, kind and polite to everyone. And Aoi was the outsider who helped rebuild the village out of the goodness of his heart. Their neighbors had no qualms about their relationship.

The lived together for six years now, staying in a house on the outskirts of the village, close to the forest. Aoi liked to stay near the woods, spending his early mornings surveying and collecting wild flora.

Aoi sat on the sandy shore and watched his lover with wonderment. The blonde was giggling and drawing lines in the sand. The sorcerer couldn’t believe Kouyou wasn’t nobility. All the aristocrats wore layers of clothing and had plumper frames. They even blackened out their teeth and plucked their eyebrows, replacing them with thickly drawn fake ones. Aoi shook his head at the recent fads. In comparison to Kouyou, _ they _ looked like peasants. He was far more beautiful.

“Aoi…”

The sorcerer shook his head and looked into his blonde lover’s eyes. “Hmmm?”

“You’re too quiet. What are you thinking about?” Kouyou giggled and leaned his head against Aoi’s shoulder. His hair tickling the sorcerer's nose. He pushed the locks out of his face and sniffled. 

He smirked mischievously, the lips ring twinkling in the sunlight.

“You.”

“Shut up, no you weren’t.” The blonde elbowed his ribs.

“Are you accusing me of lying?”

“Damn right I am.” Kouyou placed his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest in mock pride. 

“My, how little you trust me.” Aoi feigned hurt. He grabbed at his chest dramatically and plopped his back against the sand. “I was thinking about your beauty and how it transcends the realms of this world.” Aoi expected to hear another retort from his lover. He waited, but silence. 

He tilted his head to get a look at his partner. Kouyou was looking down at his hands, tracing small lines in the sand. He was chewing his bottom lip and averted his gaze. 

“What’s wrong?”

“You can talk with such big words. You’re so well learned.” Kouyou continued to brutally assault his bottom lip between his teeth. 

“And?” Aoi cocked an eyebrow. This was uncharacteristic of Kouyou. His blonde lover usually giggled with no cares.

“It just...it makes me feel…..bad. I’m just some peasant you found on the streets. I guess I just feel so much lower than you sometimes. You’re so smart.” The blonde finally huffed. 

“Hey, enough.” Aoi supported himself on his elbows. A few grains of sand fell from his hair. “I don’t care if you can memorize the entirety of tomes or if you can hardly tie a knot. I love you.”

Aoi’s voice was so sweet and affectionate. He brought one hand up to stroke Kouyou’s cheek. But the blonde sternly looked at his lover.

“I can tie a knot.” His cheeks were puffed out in a pout and he crossed his arms.

“I know. You can tie the hell out of knots.” Aoi laughed and pinched his lover’s cheek. Kouyou giggled and snuggled onto Aoi’s chest. The sorcerer wrapped his arm around the slender man’s waist to keep him close. He pressed soft kissed to Kouyou’s forehead and hairline.

The cuddled on the warm sand, feeling the sun’s ray beam down on them. Aoi couldn’t believe how happy he was. His childhood was difficult. And all the years travelling were tough. But it led him to Kouyou’s arms. If he had to go through it all again just to be with his love, he’d do it without hesitation. 

But Aoi didn’t want Kouyou to ever feel this way again. This was the first time the blonde said anything. But Aoi speculated that he must have felt this way for a while now. He wanted to fix that.

“I can teach you.” Aoi’s words interrupted their silence. At first, Kouyou made no movement, leaving the sorcerer to wonder if he even heard him. 

“What?” Uruha lifted his head to look at his lover.

“I can teach you some magic. If you want.” Aoi licked his lips, worried that he just insulted his lover’s intellect. “I don’t want you to feel insecure.”

Kouyou rested his chin on top Aoi’s chest and stared at the man’s eyes. His face was emotionless as he pondered the sorcerer's words. Aoi held his breath as he anticipated some kind of retort. 

“I guess.” Kouyou sighed. “I mean, you aren’t going to make me murder goats and summon demons or anything, right?”

“Not unless you want to.” Aoi couldn’t help but chuckle at his lover’s innocence. He knew about the stigma of magic. But within the village, Aoi changed their viewpoints.

“Yeah. If you wouldn’t mind teaching me. I hope I can help make everything easy on you.” There was Kouyou’s selfless attitude again. That was one of the many reasons Aoi fell so madly in love with him. He always helped out, even if it was a hindrance to himself.

“Wonderful. Now I just have to think what I can have you learn.” Aoi ran his arm up and down Kouyou’s back. He smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at his lover. “Maybe we can start with some more intimate magics.”

“What?” The blonde’s cheeks heated up and his face exploded in a blush. His voice was an embarrassed whisper. “There are spells for that kind of stuff?”

“Of course, how do you think I hit your spot perfectly each time.” Aoi shrugged.   


“Oh my god. Aoi, you are such a pervert!” Kouyou buried his reddened face in Aoi’s side and slapped at the dark-haired man’s chest.

From that day on, Kouyou learned magic from Aoi. He had some difficulties. He wasn’t as quick to learn it as Aoi was because he had no connections to it in the first place. He was just a normal laborer; an everyday person. So he worked extra hard to perform the simplest of spells. 

He only managed to master very few spells, much to his own dismay. But Aoi assured him that it would all come in time.

Unfortunately, time wasn’t on their side.

Aoi awoke one night to a nightmare. His body ached and sweat clung to his skin. He wiped at his face with shaky hands. His shouting didn’t stir his blonde lover in the bed beside him. He was grateful for that, at least he wouldn’t have to explain to him what was wrong. 

He had a vision. And no matter how much he pondered it, it was clear as day. There was no way he could misinterpret it. 

A tsunami was heading straight for their village. 

And from the clarity of the vision, it was soon. Maybe within the next day or so, he could already hear the rain pelting down outside. Fear wracked his body. The town was finally flourishing after years of hardship. And Aoi couldn’t abandon it now. Not with all the friends he made. Especially not with Kouyou. The man had family here. They couldn’t uproot their lives and run. Especially not with the amount of time they had. No one would make it out in time.

The sorcerer looked at the sleeping form beside him. Kouyou’s chest was bare as it rose and fell with his breaths. His eyes closed in blissful sleep. It made Aoi’s heart ache.

He didn't want to lose him. Kouyou was too precious to be subjected to such a horrible fate. If Aoi could save only one citizen, he already knew who.

While Kouyou slept, Aoi worked tirelessly to find a way to protect his love. He scanned through all his tomes and books looking for the best solution to his problem. He had looked into the existence of dijins before; immortal magical beings that granted wishes. Kouyou was such a selfless man, it wasn’t hard to imagine him as one.

Though Aoi was conflicted. He didn’t want to alter his lover’s life without permission. But he also knew the man would refuse to leave him. So the sorcerer decided to choose his words carefully.

He sat at the end of their bed and watched the blonde’s sleeping face. The man’s long lashes fluttered as he dreamt and his lips pursed together. A faint whine gurgled in his throat as he rolled onto his side. Aoi thought it was adorable. He reminded him of a puppy kicking its legs while dreaming.

Gently, the sorcerer shook Kouyou’s shoulder. The blonde grumbled and flung his one arm over his eyes. He was always difficult to wake. Aoi learned that his lover was not an early riser early on in their relationship. If he didn’t use caution while waking him, he’d have to deal with a very moody Kouyou for the entire day.

One more shake, and Kouyou removed his arm from his face and stretched it above his head. He yawned loudly and slowly fluttered his eyes open.  Wiping the sleep from the corner of his eyes, he finally looked up at the sorcerer. A bright smile graced his lips.

“Mornin’.” Kouyou grunted as he shifted into a sitting position. He leaned against their headboard, the blanket wrapped around his waist leaving his chest naked to the chilling air.

“Hey gorgeous.” Aoi knelt on the bed beside the blonde and pressed his lips to his slender cheeks. “Sorry to wake you.”

“‘S’alright.” the blonde slurred. “Is everything alright?”

Aoi faltered in his smile. Kouyou saw right through his facade. He knew the dark-haired man wouldn’t wake him up for no reason.  _ Damn his sixth sense for these kinds of things. _

Aoi licked his lips and swallowed. He tried to keep his voice steady to not warrant too much worry from his lover.

“I just had a vision actually.”

“Oh. You haven’t had one in a while.” Kouyou’s smile disappeared. “Do you know what it was about?”

“Yeah. It….it’s not good.” Aoi gritted his teeth. He hated being the bearer of bad news. Especially when he had to see Kouyou’s beautiful face frown. “A tsunami is heading this way.”

“What?” The blonde shouted. He immediately sprung out of bed. The blanket fell to the floor as he ran to cover his naked body with robes. He jumped around in a frantic matter, trying to comprehend the situation. “We have to warn everyone. We need to organize a caravan out of here and get to safety.”

“We don’t have the time. We’ll never get to high ground.” Aoi sighed. Leave it to Kouyou to worry about the townspeople first. Such a kind soul did not deserve a watery fate.

“How can you be so sure?” 

“Because Kouyou, it was the most vivid vision I’ve ever had. That means it will happen soon.” Aoi stood to stop his lovers pacing of their home. The blonde stopped when Aoi rested his hands on his shoulders. It brought a small comfort to his rattled nerves.

“How long do we have?” The blonde was crestfallen. He sounded like he’d given up hope.

“A day. Maybe two if we’re lucky.”

“Is there anything we can do?”

His question echoed through their home. There was no reply. He already knew what Aoi was thinking. But he couldn’t except it. He didn’t want to sit around and wait for the disaster to hit and kill them all. He didn’t want to die without putting up some sort of fight.

“We need to warn everyone. We should collect all the boats and rafts we can. And get as far inland as we can.” His voice was even as he looked at his lover’s eyes. A small twinge of hope was still in his voice. “If we can at least save someone, that’s all we can ask. We can’t let everyone around us die.” Kouyou’s mind ran on overdrive.

Kouyou was choking back tears as he worked out a plan. He buried his face into Aoi’s chest and sniffled. “I don’t want them to die. They don’t deserve it. None of them.”

“What about you?”

“Hmm?” The blonde looked at his lover’s face. Tears were strewn down his cheeks.

“You’re worried about everyone else, what about you?” Aoi’s voice was soft, like he was consoling a child. He rubbed his hand along the blonde’s slender back as the sobs quieted down.

“If I die, then I die. As long as my family is safe.”

“Let me worry about you.” Aoi kissed the top of his head. Kouyou spoke with such conviction. It was a shame how little he thought of himself. “You can work at getting everyone else to safety. But let me worry about you. Is that okay?”

“Okay.” 

That morning they ran from door to door to warn everyone of the impending danger. Villagers gathered their dearest belongings and loved ones. They worked at building more boats and carrying the ones they already had inland. Teams of men scouted ahead for higher ground and cleared the way from any dangerous creatures. Aoi helped conjure supplies and aid in the building. Kouyou helped anywhere he could, his body looked ready to collapse under the strain. He was running himself ragged.

That night, the tsunami still had yet to appear. But the townspeople continued to migrate inwards. Kouyou prayed that they would be able to avoid the majority of the damage. Everyone had packed and already began their travels. The town was empty.

Kouyou was placed in one of the boats asleep. He wore the purple pleather outfit Aoi crafted for him when they started dating. It always drove Aoi crazy with the way it hugged the blonde’s thighs and chest. Now he wore it due to the brightness of the fabric. The pair wore loud colored outfits so they could find each other in the harsh environment. Kouyou refused to give in to his exhaustion so Aoi placed a sleeping aid into his drink while he wasn’t looking. It was harmless and allowed Aoi to work on his own rescue plan for his lover.

He carried with him a sake bottle. It was a gift from their neighbors when they first moved in together. It was now empty but they held onto the keepsake. He soon learned of Kouyou’s infatuation with alcohol. He made sure to always have a bottle of sake for special occasions. Aoi thought it’d be fitting to carry this particular bottle. That way he’d always be with Kouyou whenever he was gone.

Turning a human into a dijin was tricky, but not impossible. More often than not, no one knew of the origin of genies. Many believed that they already existed as they were. Which was true for most. But Aoi spent a few months researching about them when he stumbled across their existence in his notes. His fascination grew, and now he worried that this was the only way to save Kouyou. First, a connection to magic must be present in order for the change to last. Aoi knew this is where his sacrifice was needed. 

The citizens continued marching on into the morning. They alternated between sleeping and walking in order to get more distance between them and the ocean. The rain was pouring and pounding down on them. Everyone was drenched, but determined to continue to safety.

It was later in the afternoon when they felt the ground beneath them shake. A low rumbling caused some to fall and supplies to scatter along the muddy ground. Kouyou turned to Aoi with wide eyes. They knew it was beginning.

They all pushed forward as much as they could, ignoring the trembling from the earthquake. 

Aoi held onto Kouyou’s hand tightly. They were at the back of the group, they made sure everyone else was out before they left. 

The sounds of rushing water grew louder behind them as they all continued on. Fear was finally setting into the blonde. All his hope was starting to dissipate as the sound became closer with each step. He was brutally reminded that you can’t fight nature.

“Kouyou.” Aoi’s voice was hard to hear over the pounding rain and rushing water. The blonde turned to look at his lover. A bittersweet smile decorated his pierced lips.

“No matter what happens. We’ll always be together, I promise. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Kouyou never saw his lover speak with such seriousness and affection. He leaned forward to kiss him.

The dark-haired sorcerer smiled into the kiss. His grip tightening around the blonde’s slender hand. He tenderly brought his other hand up to cup Kouyou’s cheek. The storm happening around them was miles away in their minds. All that existed in that moment was the two of them.

Within seconds, Kouyou felt the icy sensation of water slapping against his legs. The wave hit him with such force he toppled over. His body dipped into the water but he continued to hold onto Aoi’s hand.

His eyes were forced shut as he held his breath. The sudden oncoming of water took him by complete surprise. He fought against the current, desperately searching for air.

He gasped as his head broke through the surface. He heard shouts from the other villagers to get in the boats. He ignored the commotion and frantically scanned for Aoi. To his relief the sorcerer was still beside him. His hair and clothes clung to him, making him look like a drowned animal.

Kouyou swam close to him and hugged his arms around his chest. They shivered for each other’s warmth. Though both men were chilled to the core thanks to the oncoming waves.

Another rush of water pushed forward and receded. The couple were being dragged away from the others. Kouyou wanted to cry out to his family. He worried for their safety. But he fought the urge and clung to Aoi, his only salvation.

The sounds of screams and cries grew fainter the more the pair were tousled around by the harsh currents. They struggled to keep above the surface and dodge the debris. The sounds of trees snapping and falling over were heard all around them. The waves moved with enough force to uproot forests.

“Kouyou!” Aoi screamed when he saw his blonde lover falling under the water’s surface. In that second, he made the decision that altered their life together. 

He pulled Kouyou up and kissed him deeply. He mumbled foreign words as his lips parted from the blondes. Tears started to escape from the corner of his eyes and a tingling sensation danced along both their skin.

The blonde was disoriented. The world around him was chaos and he tried to focus all his attention on Aoi. But even that began to blur. His skin tickled with warmth. He didn’t understand why. He looked at his lover with hooded eyes and saw the dark-haired man’s form slowly evaporate.

His mind raced. He had no idea what was going on. Aoi was holding the sake bottle they kept from their first night living together in his hand. It glowed with a golden and purple aura. Koyou did not know what was going on. He assumed it to be magic. But Aoi never showed him anything like this before.

“Aoi?” His voice was a hoarse whimper. Confusion clouded his mind as he grasped for his lover.

“It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.” Aoi’s voice cracked. And Kouyou saw the tears falling from his reddened eyes. A sickness swelled in the pit of the blonde’s stomach.  _ What is he doing? _

“But what about you?” His question remained unanswered as Aoi’s grip tightened on the sake bottle. The aura grew brighter. A cloud of smoke escaping through the top.

“Aoi?” Kouyou choked on his worry. Hysterically he called out his lover’s name and grasped at the man’s soaking wet clothes. “Aoi!?”

He saw Aoi’s figure slowly waft into the bottle. His appearance mixed with the smoke and sparkles. Hysteria clawed at Kouyou’s sanity. Unable to form coherent sentences, he babbled and cried. The tickling sensation increased as the smoke clung to his arms and chest. He tried to struggle and push it away but he didn’t want to let go of Aoi. 

Soon his vision was gone. All he saw was a black, empty void. His screams echoed into an endless abyss. The frigid temperature from the waves were gone. Instead, he was cradled by a familiar warmth. He nuzzled into it, inhaling the scent he knew to be Aoi. 

_ Am I dead? _

He wondered. Being surrounded by nothingness, this had to be the afterlife. Though it didn’t turn out to be everything the priests promised. No In fact, it was a bit of a let down. 

His consciousness soon silenced itself as he felt the ever encroaching palms of sleep whisk him away.

* * *

 

Stirring.

His mind stumbled as he felt his consciousness return to a physical form. The blackness of the abyss was replaced by smoke. Purple and gold, colors that invoked a gloomy emotion in the blonde.

He coughed and waved his hands around. He tried to clear the smoke from burning his eyes and throat further. It was all around him and he had no idea why. 

Once it sank to his feet, he had a clear view of his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was freezing waters and a distressed Aoi. Now he saw sunshine and grass below his feet. 

He looked at himself. He was very much alive, unlike he initially thought. He was wearing the purple outfit Aoi loved. His exposed skin shivered when a breeze passed through, causing goosebumps to decorate his skin. But they vanished when the sun’s ray casted warmth onto the world below.

He looked up and found a small child standing in front of him. His short hair was cut in crooked lines and his face was dirtied. His clothes were tattered and feet bared. The child looked up at the blonde man with wonderment in his eyes. His mouth hung open as his grip tightened on the bottle.

They were standing in the middle of some empty field. A town could be spotted off in the distance, as well as rolling hills of forests. The sky was a deep blue and clouds of white fluff cascaded along.

It was such a different world than the one he last saw. 

“Are you a genie?” The small child spoke up and interrupted the blonde’s sightseeing. Curiously, he tilted his head down at the child. 

“Yes.” He spoke the word on instinct. He didn’t know the answer, but something inside him answered for him. It was like another presence was beside him, guiding him. He was confused.

“So, that means you’ll grant my wish?” Hope was plastered on the dirtied face of the youngling. He hugged the bottle.

“Uh…” The blonde hesitated before the presence around him stepped in, forcing him to utter a response. “Yes. Yes I will.”

It was surreal. One minute Kouyou thought he was dead. The next, he found himself in servitude to a peasant child. The little boy squealed in delight and ran up to the blonde. He wrapped his small arms around the tall man’s legs and buried his face. Tears of joy escaped the child’s eyes.

“Finally, everything will be okay.”

The boy’s earnest words almost brought the man to tears himself. The child clearly needed aid. And he was happy to give it to him. He bent down and wrapped his arms around the boy to bring him into a hug.

“It will. I promise.” This time he spoke on his own freewill.

“What’s your name?” The child asked pulling away. The sake bottle hugged against his chest.

Kouyou thought about it. His true name no longer surfised. It didn’t feel right. Afterall, Kouyou was dead. He decided to choose a new name. One that will be used for his new life. 

Looking at the bottle, he magically inscribed a delicate character on it. It reminded him of all the qualities Aoi gushed and complimented him on. The sake bottle now had “ 麗”  written on it in flourished calligraphy. It stood for beauty and grace, everything Aoi told him he had. It would always be a bittersweet reminder of his lover.

“My name is Uruha.” He smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally we see Aoi! I hope you all enjoy this insight into Uruha's past and that this chapter answered a few questions. Thank you all for sticking with me! (♥_♥)


	17. Punishment

“I’m sorry.” Ruki sobbed as he hugged the sake bottle to his chest. His voice was hoarse and his eyes stung from the endless tears he shed.

Reita awkwardly sat on the couch beside him, trying to offer any bit of comfort he could. Kai was on the other side of Ruki, letting the blonde rest his head on his shoulder. The cook had a box of tissues in his lap that he’d hand over to his friend to dry some tears or blow his nose. He had been crying for over an hour. The couple worried how long he’d be like this.

“I’m such an idiot.” Ruki sniffled. “I fucked everything up.”

“Shh. No you didn’t.” Kai shifted and wrapped his arm around his short friend. The blonde’s tear-soaked cheeks dampened the front of the brunette’s shirt. 

“Yes I did. Why else would he refuse to come out?!” Ruki shouted and looked up at his best friend. The shock he saw on Kai’s face had him averting his gaze. He felt bad about his outburst, but he was hurting. The pain wouldn’t leave no matter how much he wailed and hugged Uruha’s bottle to his chest.

Reita stared at the waiter. He always considered himself bad at consoling people. No amount of magic in the world would ever help him. But he watched as the two humans worked at the situation. 

He focused on the bottle. His best friend of centuries had isolated himself without warning. The last time he was upset, the tall being just locked himself in the bathroom and cried. But now, this was serious. He’d never done this in all the years they’ve known each other.

Whatever reason, it must’ve pained Uruha too much to stay in his physical form. But what would cause such anguish?

Then it clicked.

“Memories?” Reita gasped. His eyes shot wide open at the realization. He worried this might happen, but he tried to shrug it off. But as he sat here watching the blonde cry over his genie, there was no other explanation he could think of. 

“What?” Kai asked his lover. The blonde’s sobs even quieted down a bit so he could listen to the immortal brunette’s outburst.

“Like I said before, maybe this triggered his memory. If so, that might explain his unwillingness to come out.” Reita swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked at the sake bottle. This outcome of the situation was far from ideal. Having his worries confirmed did little to settle his nerves. 

“Why?” The cook’s forehead furrowed. He knew a little bit about Uruha’s amnesia. 

“He’s….he has a lot to work through.”

The genie’s voice cracked. He’d heard the stories from his friend. The blonde wasn’t nearly as happy-go-lucky in the past as he had been since his meeting with Ruki. He thought maybe his friend could finally live in happiness.

“Like what?”

“Well, I bet the first thing would be Aoi.”

“You’ve mentioned that name before.” Kai hummed.

“Yeah. I never met him, but apparently he’s the sorcerer who made Uruha the way he is. He’d tell me about him. He was reclusive but cared deeply for Uruha.” Reita felt his heart clench.

Every time Uruha would mention the dark-haired human, he had a faraway look in his eyes. Like he was searching for the man on the horizons. They sounded like a perfect couple. But life could be cruel sometimes.

“Then why did he make him a genie?”

“He loved him too much to see him die. They were fleeing a tsunami or something.” Reita fidgeted with his fingers. Anxiousness furrowed his features. He played with a bracelet around his wrist as he looked down. He could only imagine the horror of such a situation.

“Did he die?” Ruki finally broke his silence to the surprise of his friends.

He still had his head laying on Kai’s chest. His loud wails were now silent tears streaming down his tired looking face. His reddened eyes looked at the genie with interest.

A wave of silence fell over them before Reita found the strength to speak up again.

“In a way.” He sighed. Reita finally lifted his head up to look at the two humans to reveal the tears in his eyes. “Like I told you before, magic is a living entity. It is the collection of every sorcerer’s essence. When one dies, they don’t experience eternal rest. They are reincarnated into the magical flow of this world. Their conscious and morals all fade into one. That is how the magic knows whether it is being misused and can punish disrespectful genies.” 

Reita tried to explain everything the best he could. There were things in their world that were so abstract, even he couldn’t understand. He’s been lucky to have masters that allowed him to research as much as he did. He never worried about his existence much until he met Uruha. 

The blonde remembered everything about his origin, it awakened a curiosity in Reita. Since then, he’d try to make some understanding of genies. He’d never had anyone ask him about it much until now.

“You’ve said Uruha was being punished by the magic. Was he disrespectful?” Kai spoke each word carefully. The humans were both curious.

“I don’t think so. I think what he did was well deserved. But he still technically broke a rule, so…” Reita’s voice trailed as he bit his lip. His mind wandered into a deep thought.

“You can’t tell us. I know.” Ruki sighed. He remembered his efforts to get Reita to talk when Uruha cried in the bathroom. He wasn’t allowed any specifics.

“Well, maybe I can. If Uruha remembers, there’s no harm in telling you now.” Reita wondered aloud. 

His silence was only to prevent his friend from remembering. But that was pointless now, since the blonde’s memories were already triggered. If he let the humans know, they’d understand what his friend was going through.

“He killed his last master.” Reita’s throat felt dry. He’s wanted to say this for so long. Now that he was, he was feeling lighter. Like a huge weight was finally being lifted from his shoulders. “She was so cruel to him. I think she deserved it. But one of the main rules of magic is not to interfere with freewill. And since he used magic to kill her, he was punished.”

“That’s why his memory was erased?” Ruki’s hoarse voice cracked. 

“Yeah.”

The trio once again sat in silence. The humans were in a state of shock. None knew what else to say. They were all left with their thoughts. Especially Ruki. He never imagined the kind-hearted Uruha to do something as malicious as murder, even if it was justified.

Another sob welled up in his throat. Uruha had lived such a turbulent life and he didn’t make it any easier. 

The blonde cried and hugged the sake bottle closer to him once again. His tears rolled down his face and fell onto Kai’s shirt.

* * *

 

This room was dusty and smelt of mildew. The particles of dust floated in the sunlight of the smudged window up above. The attic was coated with layers of cobwebs that hung down the ceiling. Numerous boxes, both mark and unmarked took up the majority of space. Uruha wanted to go back into his bottle, this place was too cramped for his liking.

But his bottle was currently in the possession of Yuuko Nishimura, his current master. She was a young woman in her early twenties, but her ambitions were ferocious and never ending. She wanted the world and strived for power. 

Yuuko was the daughter of a disgraced businessman. The company her father worked hard to build was crumbling with its inability to keep up with the ever changing society. His wife left him for a more successful man, leaving custody of their daughter solely to him. When he passed, Yuuko did anything she could to keep the business going. She was determined for their family name to be considered among high society again.

Uruha thought she was unnecessarily cruel at times. 

She found the sake bottle in a thrift store. She bought it as a knick-knack for her living room and was pleasantly surprised to find the genie inside. Coincidentally she also bought Reita’s single-stud ring along with it, but she handed that over to a business partner as a gift. The brunette genie found him under the service of a kind old man. He allowed Reita to visit Uruha, but Yuuko refused it. Reita tried on numerous occasions to see his friend but was denied.

She kept a hold of Uruha’s bottle, leaving the dijin trapped in her attic. She learned that it was the source of his magic and used it to control him. Whenever she wished for something, she made sure to have the bottle in the same room. But whenever she didn’t require his services, she took it. Uruha wasn’t sure where she kept it. But she mustn’t have kept it in the house because he could not feel any connection to it. 

Time seemed to pass slowly for the blonde genie. The lack of magical presence around him had his body withering away. He received no food either, no substance was keeping him going. He needed something to maintain his energy.

The outside world was a mystery to him. He had no idea how long he’d been in his bottle. He also wondered about Reita and Kaya, his only two friends. He had no communication with them; he worried about them. Were they in as terrible a place as him? Were their masters cruel or kind?

Uruha’s eyes were feeling heavy and his limbs were weak. He was leaning against some boxes when he heard the high-heeled steps of his master click up the steps. He rolled his head to the side and watched the woman appear before him, dangling the bottle to her side.

Her expression was a piercing scowl. He can’t remember a time he’d ever seen her smile. Her black hair was pulled into a tight bun above her head and her lips were painted a dark purple. Long fake lashes adorned her dark painted eyelids. The chilling blue color of her eyes could freeze anyone with their intensity.

Her painted fingernails dug into her palm as her grip tightened around the bottle. Fury was radiating from her figure. She swiftly strolled over to Uruha with hurried steps and slapped him across the face. The sound echoed through the room as Uruha held his hand to his stinging flesh. His cheek reddening instantly.

“Fujimoto pulled from the deal!” Yuuko screamed at him. Uruha’s mind struggled to stay present. His entire being was weak, and having that unexpected slap across the face didn’t help him focus.

“I thought I told you he was important for this merge to go through! And he backed out at the last minute. What the Hell did I have you make all those preparations for if this was going to happen!” She was fuming. Uruha swore she was ready to froth at the mouth with her rage.

“You…” The blonde’s voice was meek and quivering. His fear of her was evident. “You only wished for him to be at the meeting. I did as you asked.”

“But that old-fuck backed out! I wanted him to agree!” Her eyes glared at him and her mouth settled into a deeper frown. 

“I can’t interfere with his freewill. He made the decision himself.” Uruha held his tears back as he felt another slap across his face. This time there was more force behind it. He sat on the floor helplessly as his master raged above him.

“Bullshit!” She shouted. 

Yuuko was trying to save her father’s company by agreeing to a merger with a big named business. But without the okay, she would spend another year in the red. Uruha didn’t know what kind of business it was, he was never allowed that kind of information. Yuuko just wanted him to blindly follow orders. 

“If I don’t do something soon, I’m going to lose the goddamn house!”

The thought of Yuuko homeless brought a smile to Uruha’s face. Maybe then she would learn some humility. But he quickly shook the thought away. He shouldn’t think like that. Smiling at someone’s misfortune was mean spirited, and he was never like this before. 

“What good are you if you can’t help me with the simplest of wishes.” Yuuko screamed and threw the bottle at Uruha. It hit him in the stomach and bounced against the floor beside him. It was unable to shatter despite the fragile ceramic it was made from. It was held together by magic. 

Uruha let out a pained breathe as it thudded against his stomach with enough force to knock the wind out of him. He lurched forward in pain, wrapping his arms around his middle. He refused to let any tears spill. 

He wanted to tell her she wasn’t wishing for the right things, that it wasn’t his fault. But he didn’t feel like it. He was growing weary of this abuse. He lost track of how long he’s been here. The days and weeks blurred together. 

Seeing the bottle still together sparked something inside Yuuko. Her fury had driven her mad and she knelt down and scooped the bottle up. She held it in her hands and started hitting Uruha with it. It made contact with his body and left red welts. She swung and beat him with the ceramic bottle, cussing at him and her situation.

She had fallen on hard time, and Uruha sympathized. But the way she reacted to such troubles was uncalled for. She was too spoiled and greedy to appreciate the luxuries she had. 

As he was assaulted, Uruha cried in pain. No longer holding the tears back, they ran down his face and burned his skin. 

Images of Aoi danced through his mind. The kindest person he’d ever met was gone. The love of his life. He was willing to give up his life to save the dark-haired magician and the townspeople in their old home.

But instead, Aoi cursed him to a life of servitude. He was cursed to idly obey and put up with such abuse. How he hated it.

A spark of anger clawed at the back of his mind. 

He didn’t ask for this life. He had accepted his death centuries ago. He didn’t ask to be beaten by spoiled brats.

Uruha’s hands gripped at his sides as his pottery prison smacked against his form. The woman cursed and raged incoherently. Her loud wails of anger rang through his ears. And he had enough.

With one swift movement, the genie brought his arms out and hit Yuuko in her side, pushing her off him. 

She fell backwards and landed onto the floor with a hard thud. The bottle fell from her hand as she tried to steady herself. Before she could get up, a hand wrapped around her throat and pinned her down. Fear started to melt her fiery attitude.

Uruha hovered over her, his hand effortlessly pinning her down and closing around her neck. Her breathing came out in loud gasps. “Uruha?!” She yelped.

It was the first time she ever showed any weakness in front of the genie. 

The blonde’s face was stained by tears and bruises. His teeth gritted together as his eyes looked down at her. Anger tensed his entire body. 

“I didn’t ask for this.” He shouted at her. “I didn’t want to be a slave to a spoiled bitch like yourself.” 

She flinched at the insult. Her hands desperately clawed at his arms and chest, begging to be freed. But he ignored them.

“There is more to life than money and power. But you are too blind to see it. Instead, you allowed your greed to turn you into the ugliest creature I have ever witnessed.” His words escaped his lips in a low growl.

Fearful tears ran down Yuuko’s face as she gapped her mouth open like a fish out of water. Her entire body shook in terror. Never before had she witnessed this side of Uruha. He was always submissive and obeyed her in fear. Now the tables had turned.

“Please…” Yuuko begged. Uruha felt her pulse under his fingers. It was beating at an alarming rate, no doubt from her panic.

“I accepted my death.” The genie’s tone was cold. “I was ready to die for what I loved. But I was denied that.” 

He felt a sob in his chest. He wanted to scream all his pain. His anger caused his grip around Yuuko’s throat to tighten. Her body thrashed under his.

“Instead, I had spent the last several centuries putting up with nothing but bullshit.” Spit fell from his mouth as he shouted into the woman’s face. “You are all the same, you wish for riches and prosperity instead of being content with what you have. You are all living a better life than I am, but that’s not enough. Is it?” 

Her face was changing colors at the lack of oxygen. Her struggles were fruitless though.

“But you are the worst one of all. You hurt those below you to get ahead. Such a sick woman.”

Uruha released his grasp of Yuuko’s bruised neck. She gasped loudly for air and her eyes rolled shut. Shaky breaths left her feeling lightheaded and numb. Uruha still sat above her. Purple and gold sparks danced around his hand. His face was red with rage.

“I wish I could forget you.” He hissed. 

Uruha brought his hand around her throat once again and jolts of electricity ran along her body. She shouted and writhed in pain as her entire body was assaulted. She coughed and a spurt of blood flew and landed on Uruha’s face. But he paid no attention to it. His eyes clouded over as he watched the woman scream for her life. 

Her limbs were flailing around with each shock and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. Uruha felt her heartbeat become erratic and irregular the longer he kept the shock going. Yuuko’s eyes were wide open and unmoving. She no longer cried or screamed. Her voice was silent. 

Reluctantly, the genie let go of her throat. A series of black and white burns scarred her neck and jawline. They smoldered and bled. Her skin was mauled and no longer flawless. She no longer moved as her body laid limp against the floor. Fear was forever etched in her once scowling face. 

Uruha stood up and breathed rapidly. Slowly, he was coming down from his hysterical rage.

As he came to his senses, he fell to his knees at the realization of what he’s done. He broke the biggest rule of their existence. He interrupted Yuuko’s freewill by killing her. And with magic no less.

Panic flooded the blonde’s features. He wanted to cry and scream. If he had been allowed to eat anything, he knew he would’ve thrown it up with the nausea that fell over him.

But he held his arms to his chest to steady his shaking hand. 

With determination, he told himself that she deserved it. In fact, she deserved a far worse fate than the one he just delivered. He refused to regret his actions.

The room became dark. It was washed in gold and purple smoke. Uruha shook despite his efforts. He awaited his punishment and closed his eyes.

The genie felt his body become assaulted by thousands of tiny stabs. It was like every inch of his body was being stung by wasps. He gritted his teeth and refuse to cry out in pain. He was resolute in his actions.

The smoke clung to him and flooded his airways. Oxygen no longer available to him, he coughed and lunged forwards. His esophagus burned as he failed to breath. It was like he was drowning all over again. 

His physical form became lighter. He felt almost weightless and airy. Soon his physical form no longer existed and he felt surrounded by a familiar blackness. The vast abyss of his prison was stretched out in front of him. It was strangely comforting since he wasn’t allowed anywhere near his bottle for however long he’s been in Yuuko’s service.

The calm nothingness he found himself in was then penetrated by a harsh feeling. Raw anger surrounded him. It was like the entire universe was scolding him. He felt chastised, but still held no remorse for his action. He stubbornly stuck to that feeling. What he did was well deserved.

But the indistinct reprimanding around him didn’t let up. It grew worse as time continued. Uruha flinched, but still held his head high.

After what felt like an eternity, his consciousness grew heavy. His mind was foggy. The vividness of his memories became cloudy and hard to recollect. A tiredness washed over him. He felt himself slipping out of consciousness. The last thing he remembered was a stabbing pain in his head before he lost himself.

* * *

 

Reita heard the news of Yuuko Nishimura from his master. She was found dead in her home and an investigation was conducted due to the strange nature her body was found. Multiple burn marks signalled foul play so detectives worked to find the suspect. But Reita knew they wouldn’t.

He knew Uruha did it. He knew his best friend had killed her using magic. His heart felt heavy at the news. Especially since the bottle of his friend was missing. He managed to disguise himself as a detective and inspect the murder scene. He saw no sign of his friend. There was no magical connection he could follow. He assumed Uruha had faced punishment for his actions, but no idea what. 

The next few decades were the loneliest he ever felt.

* * *

 

While Uruha was trapped in his prison in a deep slumber. He didn’t realize his bottle was transported from its current location. In order to avoid any further complication, the magic teleported him from the surroundings.

The sake bottle randomly ended up in a field where it laid undisturbed.

Years passed and the land around him was soon developed. Grass and trees were removed to make way for buildings and roads. Inventions were discovered that pushed for newer technologies. Social classes altered and people’s viewpoints changed. The way in which people lived their lives were no longer the same. It happened all around him without his knowledge.

Society changed and life went on.

Years later, Uruha would feel the first ounce of warmth in a long time. He tried to shrug it off and continue his slumber. He was so tired. But the heat was persistent. He could no longer ignore it and had to escape.   

In an explosion of smoke, he found himself with a physical form again. His surroundings were obscured, but he knew his place. He awaited for his orders. He was a genie, a being of servitude and obedience. This was his life.

When the air finally cleared, he looked down to see a blonde man on the floor. Looking down at the coughing human, Uruha’s mind was focused on his duties. He quickly registered that this human was the cause for his freedom. This human, who like so many, he was suppose to address them by only one word.

_ Master _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! So I think that's it for Uruha flashbacks. Now we are going to continue on with the Uruki. ♥ Hope your enjoying this so far. This story is really fun to write! ^^ Thank you all for the support! You are such wonderful people, every one of yous!


	18. Moving Forward

Shou sighed as he leaned against the podium. Planet Nine was bustling with patrons. This was the closest he had to a break since they opened. It was a rainy Sunday, and the place was busy. No one wanted to stay home and cook, especially on their days off.

The brunette waiter greeted each customer with fake kindness and seated them. He looked around the restaurant and spotted the few waiters running around frantically. He saw the pink-haired waiter, Nao, laughing with a child when they spilled their orange juice on the table. He was cheerful as he wiped it up. The blonde Hiroto was also running between tables. But he saved time for being sociable and stopped to talk to his customers. One woman even winked at him. No doubt she found him attractive.

Shou always looked to see if he could spot the familiar blonde hair of the third waiter working. But whenever he spotted Ruki, the waiter would quickly leave and move on to the next table. He didn’t exude the friendly aura the other two did. And Shou blamed himself for that.

Ever since their fight, Ruki didn’t text him back or pick up his calls. It had only been a few days, and Shou would’ve hoped the shorter man would be willing to talk. But it was like the blonde was avoiding him. They never had more than a second alone together. 

Shou wanted to apologize.

He realized how his words must’ve hurt Ruki’s pride. He practically accused Ruki of being a whore. Even though Ruki started the fight, Shou wanted to be the bigger man and apologize. He didn’t want their relationship to end on bad terms. He cared for the blonde deeply. 

He craned his neck to try and spot Ruki amongst the crowd. The man was fast. He wasn’t in one spot for too long. 

Just when he thought he saw the shorter man, the door opened and grabbed his attention. Silently he cursed. He went to greet the young couple that just entered the building. They removed their hoods and shook the water off of them.

Shou put on a facade and greeted them with forced kindness. The amount of couples that were dining together today made it really difficult for him to not think about his own relationship.

He politely walked the customers to an open table and handed them their menus. Shou turned and right behind him was Ruki. This was the closest they stood together all day. It made a lump form in Shou’s throat at the realization. 

“Ruki…” Shou whispered on instinct. But the blonde ignored it and looked right through him to the table. 

“Hi, my name is Ruki. I will be your waiter this evening. What can I start you off to drink?” Like a robot, the blonde recited his words and grabbed a pen and paper to write their order down. He stepped beside Shou, ignoring the presence of his boyfriend. 

Shou looked at him, hurt. But the customers didn’t pick up on the tension and ordered their drinks while scanning the menus. Ruki wrote it down and swiftly made his way back towards the kitchen. In a blink of an eye, Shou was alone again.

He shook his head in disbelief. He felt like a ghost that no one can see.

The brunette clenched his fists at his side and sighed. He turned his steps towards the kitchen, ignoring the front lobby. If any patrons walked in, they could just wait. He could no longer bare the silent treatment from his short coworker any longer.

Ruki was at the soda machine filling two cups. His back was turned so he didn’t notice Shou approaching him. The blonde chewed at his lip and filled the cup with ice followed by the cola soft drink the customers ordered. 

Silently, Shou skulked beside him. His presence was still unknown to the waiter. Ruki was too lost in his own thoughts that he failed to notice his surroundings. 

Ruki turned with the glass in hand and started forward. Without looking up, the blonde crashed into the taller man. He grunted in surprise and lost his grip, causing the soda to splash on him and Shou before falling to the floor. The cup shattered causing their fellow coworkers to turn their gazes towards them. 

Both men stood in place, rose tinted faces looking at the mess on the floor in front of them. Ruki’s eyes darted around the restaurant like a cornered animal. Embarrassed, he wanted to flee the scene, but he had a job to do. He worried his lip between his teeth so much, he could taste blood.

Shou shook his head. He was mortified, but he tried to shrug it off and deal with the situation. Putting one hand on the petite blonde’s shoulder, he tried to steady Ruki’s frazzled nerves.

“Ruki,” hearing his name from Shou’s lips caused something inside him to stir. It was a shock to hear it again. It didn’t have the same effect as when they started dating. Instead of affection, it brought him an anxiousness that tasted bitter in his mouth.

“Do you need to take a break? You seem a bit overworked.” Trying to be rational, Shou gave him a light push in the direction of the kitchen. 

“But the mess….” Ruki’s voice died in silence. This was the first time he looked up at Shou. Upon making eye contact, Shou noticed how broken Ruki looked. The blonde’s eyes lacked any joy and his mouth looked like it was in a permanent frown.

Shou ran his thumb along Ruki’s cheek, hoping it soothed his jumbled nerves.

“Hiroto!” Within seconds, the blonde waiter appeared beside them. “Can you cover for Ruki while he’s on break? I’ll have Tora clean up this mess.”

The blonde nodded with a smile and obediently went to the fountain machine to finish the drink order. Shou moved beside Ruki and placed his palm at the small of his back. He guided his boyfriend to the kitchen. 

“Tora, we’ve got broken glass out there. Clean it up please.” Shou spoke up as he guided Ruki to the side door. The tattooed dishwasher stopped his scrubbing of plates and looked up at his coworker. A scowl twisting his face.

“Oi, what do I look like a maid? Clean it yourself.” His words were venomous as he hissed them between his teeth. He steadied Shou with a glare. He had a mountain of dishes he still had yet to clean, and more kept coming.

But Shou met him with a glare of his own. The dishwasher sighed in defeat and threw his hands up. He retrieved the broom from beside the doorway and exited the kitchen.

“Not paid enough for this shit…” Tora grumbled as he walked past Shou.

Kai was also present in the kitchen. As he was stirring multiple pots on the stove, his eyes never left Ruki. He gave the blonde a worried look and a forced smile. Shou noticed this and saw how tense his boyfriend grew in his presence. He wondered if Kai knew something he didn’t, the two were best friends after all. 

“We’re going out for a quick break. We shouldn’t be long.” Shou’s words made Kai jump noticeably.

The cook fidgeted with each of the pots, forcing his hands to remain busy. “O-okay. I’ll have Nao cover the entrance while you’re out.”

Kai’s smile did little to hid his hesitancy. His voice cracked as he refused to look Shou in the eyes.

“Stay dry.” 

Kai’s words fell on hollow ears as the two waiters were already out the door. Shou picked up a stray black umbrella that was leaning against the wall beside the exit. The sound of the rain assaulting the city outside was silenced with the slamming of the door behind them. Kai worried for his friend.

Shou held the umbrella over them, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. But Ruki ignored him and stood far enough away for the rain to hit the top of his head. Droplets soaked his scalp and ran down his face. His entire body shook. He wasn’t sure if it was from the cold rain or the nervousness of being this close to Shou.

He’s avoided his own boyfriend since he cheated on him with Uruha. Ever since then, the genie was the only one on his mind. He worried about how he made his friend feel, and when he was going to come out of his bottle. _ If _ he’d come out. 

Shou let out a puff of smoke as he eyed his boyfriend curiously. The blonde looked pale and tired. No amount of makeup could hide the exhausted bags under his eyes. Shou knew their fight wasn’t good, but he didn’t expect Ruki to take it this bad.

“Hey, Ru.” Shou’s voice broke through the melodic rhythm of the rain hitting the ground. It made the shorter man jump. He looked at Shou like a deer caught in the headlights. 

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to spook you.” The brunette mumbled as he stepped closer to make sure Ruki was under the umbrella. “Listen, about the other day…”

Ruki continued to stare at Shou. The taller man couldn't read the emotion on his face. He thought he saw fear, but that didn’t make sense to Shou. Ruki had left his apartment mad, so he expected him to stay that way with him. He had no idea what frightened the blonde.

“I wanted to apologize. I shouldn’t have said those things to you. You had every right to be mad at me.” Shou tapped the ashes at the ends of his cigarette off. He used it as an excuse to avert his gaze from his lover. An anxiousness nestled inside his stomach as he fretted about the blonde’s reaction. He was hoping Ruki would forgive him, but there was always a chance that he’d just be angrier at him for bringing the topic up again.

The fight was the only thing Shou could think of that would bother the blonde.

“Oh.” Ruki replied with lackluster surprise. Definitely not what Shou expected.

He turned and found the petite man chewing at his bottom lip. All the worry and exhaustion was still present. In fact, nothing in his expression or mood had changed.  _ If that wasn’t bothering him, what is? _

“Ruki, everything alright?” Shou moved forward, flicking is extinguished cigarette butt to the ground below them. With his free hand, he reached towards his boyfriend.

But Ruki took a step back, Shou noticed. And it cause an ache to form in his chest.

“We should get back inside. It’s busy.” He kept his eyes down and mumbled. 

“Wait-” Before Shou could finish his sentence, the small waiter had already ran back inside without waiting for a response.

Shou stood by himself in shock. The rain tapping against the top of his umbrella being the only sound he could hear.  _ Did that just happen?  _

In a hurry, Shou followed suite. He closed the umbrella, getting soaked in the process, and opened the door. He stood in the warmness of the kitchen and looked around. Ruki wasn’t in sight so he must’ve fled back into the dining area.

The two in the kitchen didn’t look up at him and acknowledge his presence. Tora continued to scrub away at the dishes with a disgruntled look. And Kai kept his back turned while he stirred the pots on the stove.

“Kai!” Shou shouted without thinking. He ran up to the cook, surprising the young man. “You’re friends with Ruki.”

Kai stared at the restaurant co-owner. It wasn’t a question so he didn’t need to reply. He tried to get a read on Shou and guess where he was going with this.

“Do you know what’s bothering him?” Shou’s words were rushed and frantic. 

“Oh.” Kai’s face lost a bit of color. The cook looked down and lamley fidgeted with the knobs on the stovetop turning the heat up or down. A silver studded ring glimmering from the fluorescent lighting above.

“Do you know?!”

“Um, yeah. I think I might know.” Kai bit the inside of his cheek. He wondered how he was suppose to tell Shou. He couldn’t just say “ _ Hey Ruki had sex with Uruha after your fight and Uruha is a genie too so he retreated to his bottle after having his memories back. Oh and he took Ruki out on a date disguised as you too.” _ It took Reita hours to explain genies to him let alone the whole situation surrounding Uruha’s affections. 

But he had to tell him something. He couldn’t let Shou hanging. Kai feels bad for the man. Whenever he gets a chance, he’s going to lecture Ruki and make him decide between Shou or Uruha. It wasn’t right to keep stringing the brunette along now that his heart belonged to the genie.

“He’s worried for Uruha.” He decided to dumb the entire dilemma down to a simple sentence. At the end of the day, that’s what it all came down to. Uruha hadn’t appeared yet, and it weighed on Ruki.

“Uruha? Why?” A hint a jealousy floated through Shou’s mind.  _ Ruki is my boyfriend, not Uruha’s. _

“He’s not doing well.” Kai continued to keep it simple. 

“He’s sick? Is it bad?”

“Well, something like that.” Kai shrugged. He couldn’t look Shou in the eyes. He felt like he was lying to the man.

Shou’s eyes widened at the realization. It all made sense. If Uruha was sick, Ruki would’ve worried over him. They were friends after all. He remembers talking to his boyfriend about the slender blonde before. Ruki spoke about him being lonely but relieved that Reita was around.  

“Thanks, man.” Shou slapped Kai on the arm in appreciation and left the kitchen. He went back to his post at the front lobby and found two people waiting to be seated. 

Shou apologize for the wait and went about his normal routine. He thought about Ruki and Uruha. He wondered how sick Uruha was, and whether or not it was anything serious. It had to be with how off Ruki was. 

For the rest of his shift, Shou thought up of ways to help relieve Ruki of his worries.

* * *

 

Ruki could hear the squish of his footsteps in the mud. He wished he would’ve owned rain boots, because now his work shoes were soaked through thanks to the rain. His wet socks clung to his feet and caused a shiver to rack his body. If it wasn’t for the rain, the waiter wouldn’t be as cold as he was.

The blonde hugged his arms to his chest, his thin layer jacket keeping him as warm as it could. Ruki was walking down the alley beside the restaurant. He was on his way home until he heard the side door to Planet Nine open and hurried footsteps running after him.

“Hey Ruki!”  

The blonde jumped, too scared to turn around and face the source of the voice. His nerves had his stomach doing flips at the thought of Shou approaching him again. He still hasn't recovered from their break. 

He felt guilty. And the fact that he kept avoiding the brunette made him feel even worse. But his first priority was Uruha. Once he was alright, the blonde would swallow his fears and face his boyfriend. Telling him the truth wouldn’t be easy, but he had to do it.

A hand came down and clasped his shoulder. It forcibly turned him around to face the person who called for him. 

He let out an audible sigh of relief when he found Kai was the one who was after him instead of his boyfriend. Though, Kai didn’t seem to be as happy as Ruki. The chef’s lips were pursed into a firm frown.

“Ruki. You need to talk to Shou.”

“I know…”

“He’s been looking for you. You can’t keep avoiding him.” Kai rested his hands on his hips and sounded like he was scolding his child.

“Yeah…”

Ruki’s replies were meek. He already felt guilty about everything. But he just wanted to avoid all of that at the moment and go check on Uruha. 

Kai let out a frustrated sigh at the lack of enthusiasm from Ruki. The shorter man wasn’t one for confrontation, but Kai never shied away from speaking his mind. He wanted to help his friend out, even if he had to yell at him.

“Ruki, who do you want to be with?” Kai’s voice was firm as his brows pursed together in concern.

“What?” 

“Who do you love? Shou or Uruha?” Kai crossed his arms in front of his chest and shifted all his wait to one foot. “You can’t just string Shou along if you want to be with Uruha. That’s not fair to him.”

“I know, but…”

“Do you love Uruha?” Kai cut Ruki off. He didn’t want to hear any excuses. He knew Ruki felt bad about what he’s done. But he wanted it to end before it got worse. But the blonde still looked hesitant. He was faced with a difficult question.

“Maybe it’s not my place to say, but you should know.” Kai lamented and studied his feet. Maybe this was as good of time as any to come clean. “Do you remember that date where Shou took you to that stupid movie about the rats?”

“ _ Giant Rats from Mars _ ? Of course I remember that date.” Ruki tilted his head to the side like a confused puppy.

“How was it?”

“It was good.” The waiter bit his lips to hid the smirk that was forming. But he failed and his face broke out into an uncontrollable grin. Of course he remembers that date. Shou was so attentive towards him. “It was the best date I’ve ever had.”

“That was Uruha.”

“Huh?” Ruki looked up and found Kai looking at the ground. What he said didn’t make sense. 

“That was Uruha disguised as Shou. He knew how upset you were so he stepped in place for the real Shou. Uruha took you out that day, not your boyfriend.” The cook’s brows furrowed as he looked his friend in the face. Ruki had a right to know, no matter how he’d react.

Silence stretched between them as Ruki retreated to his mind. He felt like a wave had just smacked him and now he was left stunned. The best date he’d ever had, and it wasn’t even his boyfriend. Uruha lied to him. The genie overstepped his boundaries and impersonated his lover. He should be furious at the slender immortal for toying with his feelings like that.

But, looking back on that day, Ruki wondered how he did not notice.  _ Of course that wasn’t Shou. _ The brunette never sat through one of Ruki’s movies with him or let him pay for their dates. And even when Ruki started getting frisky, his date pushed him away.  _ It was all Uruha. _ The genie didn’t want to take advantage of him, that’s why he was rejected. 

Maybe it wasn’t healthy, but Ruki found the idea to be twistedly romantic. 

The rain continued to pelt the two restaurant workers while Ruki worked through his emotions. Unfortunately for him, a third person walked out the door and joined them in the alley. But Ruki was too numb to register his own boyfriend walking up behind Kai.

“Hey guys.” Shou smiled his usual toothy grin. “Do either of you need a ride out of the rain?”

Ruki still stood in place. He failed to look either of them in the eye or even pay attention to them. He was so deep in his own thoughts, Kai felt bad for springing this on him now. But it was better sooner rather than later.

“No thanks. I can drive myself. I better get back before Reita burns down the apartment. That man wishes he could cook as good as me.” Kai shook his head and chuckled. He turned in the opposite direction the waiter was travelling. 

“No one can beat you, Kai.” Shou nodded in agreement with a laugh. 

“Damn straight. See you guys later.” Kai waved and soon disappeared around the corner. Ruki was on his own. 

“So, can I drive you to your place?” Shou swung his keyring around his finger. The jingling of the keys snapped Ruki out of his haze and he looked at his boyfriend.

“Sure.” His answer was robotic. He’d rather be alone right now. But the rain wasn’t letting up and he’d probably end up with a terrible cold if he walked the rest of the way home.

Shou smiled and led him to the parking lot. Once he was buckled into the passenger seat Shou started up the engine and switched the car to drive. The ride would’ve been awkward if Ruki paid attention to the silence between them. But his thoughts trailed to Uruha once again. 

He replayed the date in his head over and over again. He felt stupid for not realizing it sooner. The way that Shou acted had so much in common with Uruha. The complete selflessness and the small shows of affections matched the genie’s personality perfectly. The real Shou was not as affectionate and more protective. Ruki questioned if what he feels for Shou is enough to continue their relationship. Did he love Shou? Or was he just craving something sexual? Doubt clouded his mind.

“So is there anything I can help with?”

Shou broke the silence. He had turned the radio down, only a low mumble escaping from the speaker. It made his voice sound even louder.

“What?”

“With Uruha. Is there any kind of medicine I can pick up for you? Do you need me to drive him to a doctor?” Shou flailed his hand against the steering wheel as he talked. His eyes scanned the road as he drove. 

“What are you talking about?” Ruki couldn’t make sense of what Shou just said. He was so confused and wondered if he’d missed something. 

“I heard from Kai. He told me he’s sick.” Shou’s smile pursed into a frown.

“Oh.” Of course Shou couldn’t know about Uruha being a genie. And if he confronted Kai, he knew the cook would come up with some sort of cover-up. He had to give props to the brunette, this was a convincible lie. “Um, no. Thanks for the offer. But I think time is all he needs. He’ll feel better eventually.”  _ Hopefully. _

“But it seems to be wearing on you. You don’t have to shoulder the burden alone. I’m your boyfriend and always available to help you.”

“He’s not a burden.” Ruki’s reply was curt. He did not want to hear anything negative about Uruha, the immortal who showered Ruki with affections and selfless acts. 

The tension between them grew. Ruki felt bad for lying to his boyfriend again. But he also didn’t like the tone he spoke of Uruha with. He could sense a slight bit of jealousy. In the past, he had nothing to worry about. But now, Ruki guessed that jealousy was well deserved. Especially since he was thinking about Uruha.

For the rest of the car ride, Ruki imagined what it would be like to date Uruha. To properly sleep with him and not use him for a release. He seemed like he’d be a generous lover. That thought alone causing Ruki’s cheeks to burn with a blush. 

The car slowed to a stop and Ruki looked up to see them parked in front of his apartment complex. He was never happier to see the dilapidated building. 

“Do you need me to come in or-” Ruki leaned forward and pecked a quick kiss to Shou’s cheek, interrupting him.

“Thanks, but I think I can handle this.” The blonde opened the door and shuffled out of his seat. 

“Thanks for the ride. I’ll see you later.”He called behind him and closed the door. He ran to the front entrance to get out of the rain and away from Shou. His heart sped up as he stumbled up the stairs in hurried footsteps. 

Everyday, he ran home from work hoping for the same thing. He’d hope that that would be the day Uruha came out. He wanted to see the blonde in his living room greeting him like he used to. And every day he was disappointed. 

The waiter held his breath as he unlocked the door to his apartment. When he swung it open, his enthusiasm immediately died down. The living room and kitchen were both empty. 

_ What did you expect? _

Ruki grumbled and peeled his sopping wet coat off his body. Every day was the same, why did he get his hopes up? Removing his shoes and socks, he flung them haphazardly near the door and internally sobbed.  _ Of course Uruha wouldn’t be here. What makes you think he wants to see you? _

Ruki’s thoughts turned dark the more he travelled into his apartment, removing his bowtie and shrugging off his vest. He was the cause of the genie’s agony and grief. He was only fooling himself in thinking that Uruha actually cared for him.

He sighed loudly as he opened the door to his bedroom. He shrieked and fell against the door when he saw something large sitting on his bed. At first he thought an intruder had busted in. It wouldn’t be the first time for this neighborhood.

But he quickly recognized the head of blonde hair, the purple clothing, and the slender build of the figure. The bottle that was nestled in blankets and tucked in front of his pillows had toppled over and laid on its side. The air in the room had a sort of electricity to it that tingled the waiter’s skin. 

“Uruha?” His voice quivered.

The man looked up at him. His plump lips stretched into a grin and his almond-shaped eyes tinted red with tears at their corner. Uruha looked like he was the happiest man alive.

“Ruki.” The genie sniffled. “It’s so good to see you again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took me a while to write. It took several rewrites until I was happy with it. ฅ(๑’Δ’๑)


	19. Reunion

With no hesitation, Ruki ran forward and hugged the genie. His cold, shivering body soon felt the warmth of the magical being. Uruha didn’t hesitate in returning the hug. He tightly secured the waiter into a caring embrace and pressed a small kiss to the top of his blonde head. 

Ruki giggled and cried tears of joy. It felt like an eternity since he last saw Uruha. The guilt that had been weighing him down suddenly vanished upon seeing the smile from the genie. Uruha’s smile melted all of Ruki’s worries and hesitations. All he wanted was to stay like this forever. He wanted to be held by the genie until the end of time.

“Is it really you?” The waiter’s voice quivered as he buried his nose into Uruha’s chest.

“I’m sorry I took so long.” The genie smiled and brushed his finger along the short man’s cheek. He wiped away the liquid at the corners of the human’s eyes. 

Uruha rocked Ruki back and forth and rubbed his palm up and down the smaller man’s back. Every movement of his hands, every shift in his body, every small action his did was showing Ruki the deep affection he felt. And the human noticed.

“Shut up.” The blonde waiter giggled and slapped at Uruha’s chest in a playful manner. “I’m the one who should apologize.”

The mood in the room shifted once Ruki uttered these words. His smile faltered and he pulled away from the genie’s embrace. Uruha frowned at the loss of contact, but he complied. 

“I...I used you. And I am so sorry for treating you like that. You are too important to me.” The small human’s voice cracked and he fought back the urge to cry. He shook his head as he talked, trying to shake the guilt away.

“What I did was unforgivable. I just want you to be happy. I am so sorry for causing you all this grief. You deserve better.” Ruki clasped his hands in Uruha’s and looked him dead in the eyes. Every word he was saying came straight from the heart.

“Ruki….” The genie whispered. His heart clenched at seeing his master on the verge of tears again. “You have nothing to apologize for. You are not the reason I fled to my bottle.”

Uruha rubbed his thumbs over the waiter’s knuckles in an attempt to sooth his troubled feelings. Ruki furrowed his brows and looked at his genie with genuine confusion. For the past week he blamed himself for Uruha’s disappearance.

“I saw Kaya. I was hurting after the, um, incident in the kitchen. But I was worried about you. I thought that _ I _ used  _ you _ . And so I went to the bar and tried to drown all those emotions. But Kaya came by and helped me out. He helped me get all my memories again.” Both men were blurry-eyed thanks to the tears clouding their visions.

Ruki leaned forwards and freed his hands from the genie’s in order to wrap him into a hug. His head rested perfectly against the magical being’s flat chest. To hear the other’s heartbeat again soothed the human’s worries.

There were silence between the two again. There was so much to say, but no idea where to start. Ruki decided to let his curiosity out. He trusted Uruha enough to know he wouldn’t be offended.

“Are you happy about it? Having your memories again?” The petite man tilted his head upwards to look at the genie. There was hesitation before he spoke.

“Yeah. Seeing Aoi again, if only in my memories….I...there was so much to process. How long was I gone?” A tear managed to escape and slide down the genie’s cheek. Ruki wiped it away with his thumb.

“A week.”

Uruha closed his eyes and reached his hand up to keep Ruki’s in place. He leaned into the human’s palm, and gave a small kiss to his wrist. 

The waiter’s stomach was doing flips and he felt his entire face burn up. The genie was not shy about showing his affections. It startled Ruki. But he remained silent and let Uruha enjoy the embrace as he decided to tread on shaky ground.

“Reita told us why you lost your memories. You killed someone?”

The contact was not broken, to Ruki’s surprise. In fact, the immortal blonde tightened his grip on Ruki’s hands and opened his eyes. 

“Yeah. I just…” Uruha tried to respond but his mind was flooded by emotions. He couldn’t put a word to what he was feeling. He remembers his previous master’s requests and selfishness. Her thirst for power and disregard towards others. He pondered if what he did was unethical despite his strong belief that she deserved it. He sighed in frustration. “She still makes me angry.” 

He studied the human in front of him. A contrast to his previous master. They were complete opposites and that was something Uruha was grateful for. Ruki remained still, allowing Uruha to relish the warmth of his palm against his cheek.  _ Such a kind human. _

“But it makes me realize how special you are. You are different than anyone I have ever met. You are selfless and wonderful. I know I always bugged you to make wishes, but I’m actually glad you didn’t. It shows what a beautiful character you have.” Uruha rambled. A sparkle in his eyes shone as he looked at the short man beside him. He saw the blush on Ruki’s face deepen at the compliments. 

“Flattery.” Ruki giggled. Uruha was not shying away from his feelings at the moment. The waiter wasn’t sure how to handle all of this. He knew he harbored feelings towards the genie; even if he tried to deny it. He was still technically in a relationship with another man. A relationship that Ruki had to admit was no longer as lively as it used to be.

“So it’s only been a week?”  Uruha hummed. The noise was soft and musical to Ruki’s ears. The genie spoke with a calmness. “How are you and Shou?”

Ruki’s body tensed at the mention of the name. He spent the last week avoiding the man he was suppose to love. Something he was ashamed of. 

“Honestly. I’m not sure. I haven’t really spoken to him.” The waiter looked like he shrank in on himself. His shoulders hunched forward as if he was trying to hide. Guilt prevented him from looking his roomate in the eye.

“So you didn’t tell him about…” Uruha let the end of his sentence hang in the air. Neither needed him to finish it to know what he was referring to. They both have a strong memory of their affair not to far away in the kitchen. 

“No.” Ruki lamented. The shame he was feeling clung tightly to him. He knew what he had to do, yet he chose to avoid it. Hesitantly, Ruki looked Uruha in the eyes again. He was expecting some sort of judgement from him. But he was surprised to find the same loving smile he always saw on the genie’s face. Uruha rested his hand on top the waiter’s thigh, as if silently telling him it was okay. That he understood and held no ill-will towards the human. 

He swallowed and smiled at having his courage return. He needed it for what he was about to say.

“Kai told me something interesting about you.” The small blonde cocked his eyebrows and smirked. “How did you enjoy  _ Giant Rats from Mars?” _

“Um…” Uruha paled. His eyes shot wide open in terror and his grip on Ruki’s hand finally loosened and let go. “I’m sorry. Are you mad?”

“I’ll be honest. At first I didn’t know what to think. I should’ve been mad. That’s what my mind kept telling me. You impersonated my boyfriend and lied to me.” Ruki chewed his bottom lip. Uruha withdrew his hand from the small man’s thigh and shied away. Hesitant on the waiter’s feelings. 

“But you respected and paid attention to me. You didn’t overstep any boundaries either. It made sense why Shou rejected sex that night.” Ruki giggled. The sound that always made Uruha’s heart skip. “It was the greatest date I had ever been on. How am I supposed to be mad about that?” 

Fireworks went off in Uruha stomach. He was so happy to hear that. He didn’t mean to hurt Ruki, but he knew that good intentions didn’t always make everything alright. But Ruki had loved it. The genie felt relief that it was a fond memory for both of them.

“Thank you.”

“It was just as enjoyable for me too.” Uruha smiled and leaned forward. He brushed a strand of blonde hair out of Ruki’s face and behind his ear. 

They looked into each other’s eyes in silence. Both men smiling at the feeling of warmth emitting between each other. Uruha’s touch left a burning sensation in its wake and rested on Ruki’s shoulder. He cupped the side of the small man’s head with his long, slender fingers. Both men blushed. Ruki leaned his head slightly to the side, silently inviting Uruha to do exactly what he was hoping for.

The genie closed the small distance between them. He pressed his own plump lips against Ruki’s. It was slow and passionate. Uruha’s lips glided effortlessly as the waiter returned the action. Soon their breathes became loud and heavy at the loss of oxygen. They wrapped their arms around each other in a tight embrace; refusing to let the other go again. They wanted to stay like this for eternity, never losing contact with the other.  

But the demand for air was too much, and Ruki was the first to gasp and pull away. Uruha leaned their foreheads together as their loud breaths and heaving chests were the only sounds. The room felt warmer. And Ruki felt like he could finally drift into a comfortable sleep while being held by this magical being. 

“You should break it off with Shou.”

The genie broke the comfortable silence so suddenly. The demanding tone he had said it with left Ruki in a bit of a shock.

“Uruha…” Ruki gasped. It was unlike him to ever be so forward before. 

“I’m sorry I know as a genie I shouldn’t make requests. I am supposed to obey them. But I can’t be silent anymore.” Uruha sighed. Though he didn’t seem to regret what he’d just said. He was much more commanding than he used to be. It was a new side to the genie that Ruki never witnessed before. The waiter wondered if it had anything to do with having all his memories again.

“But, what about Aoi?” Ruki remembers all the talk of the sorcerer. He wasn’t blind and he knew how in love the two were. He never experienced such compassion so he didn’t understand how Uruha could move on.

“I loved him, yes. But he’s gone. And if I spend all my life stuck in the past with him, I’d miss out on someone wonderful like you.” Uruha rubbed Ruki’s back in soothing circles. His voice dripped with genuine affection, the waiter wondered how he’d never thought of doing this sooner.

“I loved him and forgave him for making me like this. Because if not, I wouldn’t have met you.”

“Can you get any cheesier right now?” Ruki giggled again. He shook his head and slapped the genie on the arm.

Uruha joined in the laughter and tackled the smaller blonde onto the bed. He hugged him tight and hovered above him.

“I am cheesed with the power.” The genie smiled victoriously and kissed the waiter on the cheek. He looked proud of himself.

“That doesn’t make any sense.” Ruki barked and rolled his eyes.

The pair continued to laugh as they wrestled on the bed. Ruki eventually finding comfort in the arms of Uruha. The genie laid beside him and crabled the man against his chest. They exchanged lazy kisses every so often and listened to the other breath. The comfort of having the other so close soon brought both their exhaustion to the forefront of their minds.

Ruki had one final thought before sleep finally took him away. 

_ Okay. I think it’s time to end things with Shou _

* * *

 

A faint knock caused Ruki to stir in his sleep. He was nuzzled into Uruha’s chest. The waiter smacked his lips together and realized he was drooling. But he was still on the edges of sleep so he didn’t really care. His eyes remained closed and he snuggled closer at the sound of the noise.

The knocking continued, making the small human grumble as he finally opened his eyes. It was the most restful sleep he’d had in a long while. Ruki figured that was thanks to the genie’s presence beside him. 

The waiter shuffled and lifted his head to look at Uruha. The sleeping immortal was a gorgeous sight. The long lashes of his eyes, the chiseled jawline, those plump lips; every inch of this man Ruki admired. He looked like he was some sculpted masterpiece come to life. His sleeping face was angelic and innocent.

The continuous knock at the door bursted the serene bubble around the blondes, and Ruki mumbled under his breath. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and from their insistence it didn’t sound like they were leaving anytime soon.

Ruki turned towards Uruha. He shook him by the shoulder. But the genie didn’t stir; instead letting out a small snore as he continued his deep sleep. 

The waiter laughed and decided to switch tactics.

Using his index and thumb, Ruki slowly pressed them on either side of the genie’s nose. He pinched Uruha’s nostrils. The human smirked when he saw the lanky man’s eyes shoot open and a low, snore escaped his throat.

Promptly sitting up, Uruha looked around the room. His face softened when his eyes landed on Ruki, who sported a mischievous grin.

“Mornin’.” Uruha yawned and rubbed his eyes.

“Someone’s knocking on the door.” Ruki pushed some of his own unruly bangs out of his face as he stretched and dropped off the bed.

“Who is it?” Uruha blinked his eyes several times, he looked like he was ready to lay back down.

“I don’t know. That’s why I woke you up.” Ruki nudged the mattress with his knee, making the entire bed shake. “In case it’s someone shady, I wanted you to have my back.”

“Can’t you just let it go to voicemail.” Uruha sighed and let his head drop down against the pillow. 

“That’s not how it works.” Ruki giggled and rocked the bed with more force. But instead of disturbing the genie, he just smiled and hummed.

“This is relaxing.”

“Come on.” Ruki whined and he pulled at the comforter, trying to drag Uruha off the bed. The pair of blondes giggled until they heard the door open. 

Ruki froze and his grip on the bed sheets tightened. He forgot to lock the door when he came home. His mind instantly flooded with images of murderers and burglars walking into his apartment. They didn’t live in the best of neighborhoods.

Uruha’s sleepy state was quickly forgotten and he was standing in front of Ruki within seconds. His body shielded the waiter from the door and his hands were held up. Gold and purple sparks glittered along Uruha’s slender fingertips as he slightly crouched his body. He was ready for a fight.

Ruki felt a swell in his heart at how protected he felt. It reminded him of the time they accidentally stumbled across Reita. He silently relished in the attention. No matter who had entered the apartment, he felt safe.

They heard whispers in the hallway.  _ So it’s more than one person. _ But Ruki didn’t dwell on it. Whoever it was, he knew Uruha would shoot them down quickly.

The doorknob to Ruki’s bed room turned and the waiter tensed as he awaited the confrontation. 

The door swung open and Uruha lunged forward. A flash blinded Ruki and all he heard was a yelp. It all happened within a second. Once he could see again, the waiter found two familiar faces standing in his bedroom.

Kai was in the doorway, his eyes wide from fear and his body trembled. It was obvious he was the one who let out the scared yelp earlier. Reita was in front of him, his arm up and a lightscreen of blue and sparkling gold shielded the pair in a spherical wisp. Uruha’s arm was blocked by the nose-banded genie’s forearm, but Reita had a serious and determined look on his face. Same as Uruha.

But soon the two genie’s faces softened and they let their arms fall. Upon realization, Uruha’s eyes shot open and he quickly backed away.

“I’m glad to see you too, Uru.” Reita joked. But Kai was still shaking behind him.

“Sorry.” Uruha smiled and lowered his head. 

“Hey, you guys are the ones breaking and entering. You should be the ones apologizing.” Ruki pointed at them with an accusational finger. 

“Well yeah, you weren’t answering your door. We wanted to check up on you.” Reita countered. Kai was still too shaken to respond. 

“Kai, you okay? Everything’s cool.” Ruki walked forward to rest his hand on his friend’s upper arm.

The brunette closed his eyes and sighed. He worked at steadying his breath in order to speak.

“Yeah, it’s just...um...I’ve never...that was so sudden.” Kai forced a smile and tried to laugh it off. But he was still visible shaken.

“I’ve never used magic like that in front of him before. I’m sorry for scaring you.” Reita turned around and wrapped his arm around his master’s waist. Kai rested his head against the genie’s shoulder. 

“Why don’t you two go sit in the living room. We’ll be out in a second.” Ruki suggested.

The pair bowed their heads and exited the room. Kai cuddled up to Reita on the couch. He rested his head against the genie’s chest and tucked his legs under himself. The nose-banded genie wrapped his arm around Kai’s waist and held him close. 

Uruha and Ruki followed after a few minutes. The small blonde had to stop Uruha from lying back down. The tall genie crossed his legs and sat on the unoccupied end of the couch. Ruki remained standing and crossed his arms while glaring at his friends.

“So what the hell are you two doing here? You didn’t even give me a heads up!” Ruki kept his arms crossed and pursed his lips into a pout.

“Sorry. It was kind of a last minute decision.” Reita shrugged and had a causal aura about him.

“But I thought you lived on the other side of town. How would this be last minute?” Uruha innocently pointed. Reita’s eyes looked down and the tips of his ears grew red. 

“Reita wrecked my kitchen.” Kai proudly proclaimed and smiled a cocky grin.

“What?!” The two blondes looked at the magical brunette. His face was mess a of red and pink skin. He hid his eyes behind his bangs in embarrassment.

“I came home and it looked like my fridge exploded. Everything that was inside somehow ended up on my floors or cabinets.”

“How did you manage that?” Uruha laughed and lightly punched Reita on the arm.

“I wanted to make something for when Kai came home.”

Ruki heard the affection dripping from Reita’s voice. He remembers the time Uruha tried to make him something as simple as coffee. It ended in a broken mug and a mess on the floor. The gesture meant so much more to him since his genie denied the use of magic and tried to do it by hand.

“And you didn’t want to use magic.” The waiter spoke aloud. He recognized the intentions behind Reita’s actions. He turned to his human friend. “Did you wish for it clean?”

“No. I made sure we cleaned by hand so he could learn from his mistake.” Kai’s lips twisted into a wicked smile as he looked at his boyfriend. His dimple accentuated his grin. He booped Reita on his banded nose with his index finger to punctuate his sentence.

“Wow you’re malicious.” Uruha rose his eyebrows and stared at the couple beside him.

“I bet that’s the last time you try to make a three course meal out of literally everything.” Kai threw his head back and cackled.

Ruki studied the two genies. Both of them had similar experiences in the kitchen. His curiosity eating away at him, he had to ask.

“Have you two never cooked before?”

“No. We use our magic for everything. Simple tasks that you guys do everyday amaze me sometimes.” Reita’s cheeks were dusted with pink at his admission. Uruha even bowed his head to hide the tips of his ears.

“Wait, so you guys came over here because Reita wrecked your kitchen?” Ruki smiled incredulously. 

“Yeah, I need to go shopping for groceries. But it’s too late now. So we decided to stop and see how you were. We were thrilled to see Uruha again.” Kai smiled and fondly looked over at Uruha. 

“Well, why don’t we all make something together? Something without magic.” Ruki uncrossed his arms and pointed towards his kitchen.

“Oh, that’s a good idea.” Kai cheered and jumped off the couch. He was already in the kitchen digging through the cupboards and organizing bowls before the two genies moved. They followed behind Ruki, and the waiter couldn’t help but smile at the twinkle of excitement he saw in the genies’ eyes. 

The shorter blonde never considered something so mundane and normal to him would seem so difficult to Uruha. The two genies made the experience enjoyable.The quartet worked together in making a stew since it was simple, they were using Ruki’s kitchen after all and he wasn’t known for keeping a array of ingredients. Kai walked Reita through the steps of heating the stovetop and making a broth. Uruha sliced vegetables while Ruki inspected his kitchen for any other ingredients they could use.

Uruha ran over to the pot and threw his chopped carrot into the broth. He was too excited and the liquid in the pot splashed out burning the two magical beings on their arms and chest. Kai ran behind Reita to steady him so he didn’t overturn the entire pot. Ruki wet two towels with cold water and rested them on the genies’ burns. 

Uruha apologized profusely, even though everyone assured him it was okay. 

Ruki didn’t worry about it too much. He knew they were magical and would just heal themselves anyway. So he didn’t feel the need to overly analyze the burns. But Kai stood even closer to Reita, being cautious of every action everyone did.

Once they finished, they all sat down in the living room since it was larger. Kai and Reita sat together on the couch. Ruki sat on the floor beside Uruha. All of them had a bowl of stew in their hands, excitedly talking.

Once Reita and Uruha took their first sips, they could not stop smiling.

“This is good!” Shock evident in Reita’s voice.

“And we did it with our own hands!” Uruha stared at the bowl in front of him with amazement.

The pair felt a sense of accomplishment. Something they haven’t felt in a long while. The two humans were more amused by their reactions than the stew. It was a basic soup with boiled vegetables in it. It wasn’t anything fancy, but the way the two immortals acted it was like it was top-brand stuff. 

The waiter scooted closer towards the tall blonde. He left no space between them as their thighs touched. The warmth sent a comforting shiver down Ruki’s spine. He rested his head against Uruha’s shoulder and watched his adam's apple bob as he excitedly spoke to his friends.

The whole situation seemed rather domestic to Ruki. He never helped anyone cook before, or ate this intimately with a group of friends. It was also the first time his kitchen had such use, since he usually microwaved himself some instant noodles. 

But having Kai and Reita over was enjoyable. He loved seeing Uruha speaking so happily to everyone. Like nothing bad ever happened between them. The genie even set his hand on top of Ruki’s without shying away. Even if it was only in front of Kai and Reita, the waiter relished the open affection he was being shown.

As the night progressed, the group grew tired and had to part ways; Kai and Ruki had to be at work the next day.

Before he exited the apartment, Kai turned around in the doorway and smiled at the short waiter. Reita stood down the hall near the steps to give the two some privacy. 

“So, it looks like you’ve made up your mind.” Kai smirked. His eyes travelled past Ruki and he spotted the lanky genie sprawled out on the couch.

“Yeah. Sorry.” Ruki fidgeted with the rings on his finger and shuffled back and forth on his feet.

“Why are you apologizing?”

“You’re the one who set me up with Shou. I guess I kind of screwed that up.” The blonde bit the inside of his cheek.

Kai’s smile never left his face. He placed his hands on Ruki’s shoulder forcing the blonde to look him in the eyes.

“Listen. Shou is a good guy.” Kai shook his head. “But you two do not have any chemistry. Don’t force something that’s not there.”

Ruki needed to hear that. He spent so long contemplating his relationship. He knew something was off, but he was too afraid to admit it to himself. He was in denial and continued on like everything was okay. But all his worries and guilt finally subsided with Kai’s words.

“But me and Uruha?”

The cook’s smile grew even brighter at Ruki’s question.

“Even the blind can see the way you two care for each other.” 

“Thank you, Kai.” Ruki sighed. For the first time, it felt like things were falling into place the way they should be.

“Good night. See you tomorrow.” Kai waved his hands and walked down the hall to his awaiting boyfriend.

“Night.” Ruki called out before closing the door.

The waiter turned around and walked further into his apartment. His heart skipped when he saw the tall genie on his couch. Uruha had his head on the one armrest with his eyes closed. His chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm signalling a deep sleep.

Ruki knelt in front of the couch so his face was level with Uruha’s. He marvelled at the peaceful sleeping face of the genie. He would have never guessed the man had lived through such a turbulent past. He looked like a literal angel.

“Hey, Uru.” The waiter whispered. His breath brushing against the shell of the genie’s ears.

To his surprise, the magical blonde actually responded and woke up. His eyes parted halfway and he looked up at his master. Ruki felt his stomach flutter as he spoke.

“Let’s go to bed.” After the words were out, the waiter started second guessing himself. Uruha always slept on the couch. Was it too soon to change this? Was he moving things too fast? But he slept so soundly with the genie beside him earlier, he couldn’t deny that.

“Alright.” Uruha sat up and stretched. He smiled and acted like it wasn’t a big deal; unlike what Ruki anticipated.

They walked back to the bedroom together and settled on the bed like they had earlier that day. Ruki was nestled against Uruha’s chest. The genie protectively wrapped his arms around the smaller man, keeping him close. 

They exchanged a few soft kisses before drifting off into sleep. As Ruki’s mind wandered the verge of sleep, he felt like everything was the way it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! |(^_^)| New chapter. Thank you all so so much for the support. I don't think I can ever say that enough. You guys rock! You just keep me going and I love you all for that! Hope you enjoyed this update! :p


	20. The Triangle

The sound of his alarm did little to ruse Ruki. He was fast asleep, he didn’t hear his phone vibrating aggressively on the nightstand beside the bed. He had his head buried against Uruha’s chest, their legs tangled together under the sheets. Uruha’s breathing was slow and melodious keeping the waiter lulled into a deep slumber. 

Having the genie back felt like a huge weight was lifted off of Ruki. They both said their apologies and talked everything out. Being this close to Uruha, it just felt right. The small man felt like he was meant to be next to the genie like this. The way their bodies relished the other’s closeness, it was as if they were two puzzle pieces that fit together. In the presence of the genie, Ruki had no doubts about their relationship.

The blissful bubble of warmth the two created were shattered by Ruki’s ringtone loudly echoing throughout the room.

The waiter’s eyes jolted open and he sprung awake. He struggled to break free from Uruha’s arms. And untangling their legs proved to be just as difficult since the genie refused to let go of the smaller man. Uruha let out a small whimper at the loss of contact and he eventually stirred. His eyes fluttered open slowly.

“Stay.” Uruha’s voice was husky as his arms reached out for the waiter. His hand wrapped around Ruki’s forearm as the waiter tried to scuttle over towards the nightstand.

“Uru, I gotta get this.” Ruki giggled and shrugged his arm free from the genie’s gasp. His legs dangled over the side of the bed while he picked up his cell.

His smile faltered when he saw Kai’s name on the screen.  _ Why is he calling me so early? _ Without further thought, Ruki answered. But before he could even speak, his ear was assaulted.

“Where are you!?!?!” Kai’s voice shouted from the other end. Even Uruha heard it from where he was lying. It was not like the cook to act like this.

“What do you mean? I’m home.” The waiter furrowed his brow.

“You’re late for work!”

“What? No, it can’t be that late already!” Ruki held the phone away from his ear to look at the time. True to Kai’s words, Ruki’s shift started an hour ago. 

“Shit! I overslept! I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize what time it was!” Ruki wiped the nervous sweat from his forehead and made his way towards his chest of drawers. He dug through his first drawer to collect clean work clothes since he slept in the ones from yesterday.

“Okay. We were all so worried about you. We thought something happened. You’ve never been late before.” Kai’s hysteria calmed and now he was speaking into the phone at a normal volume. 

“I’ve never slept that good before.” The waiter mumbled as he pulled out a clean shirt.

“Just get here as soon as you can. Take care.” From the tone Kai used, Ruki knew the brunette was smiling.

“See ya.”

Ruki hung up and rifled through his drawer to find a matching pair of pants. His hands shook as his mind ran with worry about being late. He always prided himself on his punctuality.

Uruha finally peeled himself off the mattress and stepped behind Ruki. The waiter’s body was tense and his actions were sporadic. He’d pick up a pair of socks, look at them, and then toss them back into the drawers for favor of something with more color. The genie placed his hand on the small of his back and pressed his lips to the tip of his ear.

“It’s alright.” His breath tickled Ruki’s ear and made a pleasured shiver run down his spine.

“No it’s not. I’m late for work. Dammit!” Ruki dropped a ring with his frazzled movements. It rolled under his dresser and he had no time to look for it.

The genie pressed his warm lips to the crook of the waiters neck. He placed a series of light kisses along the human’s slightly sweaty skin. The affection was starting to irritate Ruki, who was having a mental crisis.

“Uru, stop I need to get going.” He tried to push the magical being away. But Uruha wrapped his arms around the smaller waist and firmly held tight. 

“No.” Uruha whispered against his neck. His breath was hot against his already warm skin.

Ruki looked up at his genie with frustration. He was ready to tell him off but halted when he saw the seriousness in the mystical blonde’s face.

“You work too hard. Take a minute to breath and let your nerves settle.” His usual plump lips were pressed together in a firm line.

“Uruha, now is not the time to-”

“Take a deep breath.” The genie cut off his master with his demanding tone. “Close your eyes.”

Ruki complied even though his mind was telling him to get dress and bolt out the door. He took a few deep breaths, and to his surprise his body felt a bit of tension erase itself. He took a few more, and felt his body relaxing with each exhale. He kept his eyes closed and listened to Uruha’s lilted voice. 

“You spend all your time thinking of others and what they want. Always following other’s requests. You need to take some time and focus on you.” Uruha removed one of his hands from the small waist and tangled his finger in Ruki’s tangled blonde locks. He massaged the waiter’s scalp with his digits and almost produced a purr from the petite man.

“This coming from a genie?” A playful smirk decorated the waiter’s lips.

“The irony is not lost on me.” 

“Thanks.” Ruki opened his eyes and found the genie smiling down at him. He was truly grateful for the small meditation. He no longer felt the dread he did minutes ago. 

He thought about work, and realized they managed to operate for an hour without him. He didn’t need to rush like he was doing. He worked hard for that place and never complained about long shifts or last minute overtime. He was dutiful, and now was the first time he was late. He wouldn’t be fired for this mistake.

“No offense, but I think your first priority should be a shower. You’re awfully sweaty.” The genie teased. He scrunched his nose. “And a bit smelly.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet of you.” Ruki rolled his eyes and sarcastically cooed. He broke away from the embrace and tucked his clothes under his arm.

Exiting his room, Ruki strolled across the small hallway to the bathroom. He placed his hand on the doorknob, but he stopped when he felt Uruha press himself against his back. His arms roamed the waiter’s shoulders and lightly massaged them. Ruki leaned back and rested his head against the genie’s slender chest. He was extremely affectionate, and a bit clingy at the moment. But Ruki didn’t mind. He found comfort in it.

“Do you need any help?” Uruha whispered beside his ear. His voice was low and held a suggestive tone to it. 

“Oh my, so forward.” Ruki giggled and shook his head. 

He opened the door to the bathroom and turned around to face Uruha. There was a sideways smirk on Ruki’s face as he looked up at the magical being. The waiter took a step back, his hooded eyes keeping contact with the lustful gaze of the genie.

Uruha took a step forward but was met with a palm against his chest. Ruki outstretched his arm and halted the genie.

“If I let you in here, I’ll never make it to work.”

“Is that so bad?” Uruha raised his brows and shrugged. 

The air between them grew warm as both men stared at one another. Ruki found this side of Uruha new and exciting. Ever since he’s got his memories back, he’s been a bit more straightforward in his wants. He would’ve loved to explore this side to the genie more.

“Nice try.” The smirk on Ruki’s face did not falter. “Maybe next time.”

Uruha bowed his head and continued to smile while he had the door closed on him. Ruki sighed. As much as he wanted to take him up on his offer, he had to seriously get ready for work.

Once he was showered, he drank the tea that Uruha made for him without magic. The waiter praised the genie, but still had to add a little extra sugar. Their morning continued in the same fashion; Uruha would find someway to be close to the small human. He always kept his hand somewhere on Ruki. Whether it was resting at the small of his back or intertwined with his own fingers, he craved the human’s touch.

Not ready to part so soon, Ruki agreed to let the genie walk him to work. 

They held hands as they cut down alleyways and side streets to make it to Planet Nine. Ruki’s steps weren’t hurried like they normally were. He was enjoying his conversation with the genie. They made small talk about anything. It was comfortable.

Once the restaurant was in sight, Ruki was now two hours late for his shift due to the trek across town. Uruha reluctantly released his grip on Ruki’s smaller hand. The waiter side-eyed him curiously.

“I don’t want Shou to see. I know you’re gonna break things off with him, but I don’t want it to get any messier than it has to be.” Uruha explained his behavior. Ruki nodded in understanding. 

They still stayed close as they walked down the alley towards the side door.

“So what are you going to do while I’m at work?” Ruki looked up and asked his genie. 

“I thought I might go and visit Kaya.” The genie looked in the direction of the bar. It was farther in town, but he remembered where it was.

“Kaya?! But he’s-” 

“He helped me. I want to thank him. He didn’t have to do it.” Uruha interrupted. “Besides, I remember the way we use to be.” 

There was a silence between them as Ruki scrutinized the blonde genie for a moment, before lamenting.

“I trust you know what you’re doing.” Ruki gave one last thought on the topic before he reached for the handle of the door.

“I’ll see you after work.” Uruha quickly knelt forward and planted a chaste kiss to the waiter’s cheek.

“Uruha!” Ruki whipped his head around and looked at the taller man with wide eyes in shock. He held his hand to his cheek, the kiss still tingling his skin.

“Sorry. I had to.” Uruha giggled and ran further down the alley. “I’ll see you later!”

The genie waved and continued his jog. Ruki couldn’t help but laugh at his lover’s antics. The magical being managed to make him feel so important. So loved.

He smiled and opened the door. As soon as he stepped inside, he was assaulted by the kitchen staff.

“You made it!” Ruki heard the cook screech as his arms wrapped the waiter in a tight bear hug. He didn’t have time to react before Tora chided him.

“We all thought something happened. You’re never late!” The dishwasher was drying his hands on a towel as he watched the deathhold Kai had locked around the waiter.

“Coming from the person who arrives fifteen minutes late every single day.” Kai giggled.

“I gotta keep it consistent.” Tora shrugged his tattooed arms and walked back to the sink to continue his work. Kai finally released Ruki. The blonde was able to breathe again.

“Yeah, sorry guys.” Ruki offered a sympathetic smile as he shrugged off his light jacket. He went to the back where the lockers and coat hooks were. Kai cornered him.

“So you slept in?” That damn dimple made its way to his face, along with a sly grin.

“Yeah.”

“How was it?” The brunette whispered. His tone dipped as his words grew suggestive with his crooked smile.

“God Kai, we didn’t do anything. I was just tired. That’s all.” Ruki felt his entire face stung. The blush even crawled up to the tips of his ears. He wanted to shout, but kept his voice down so no one else could hear. He couldn’t let the others know him and Uruha were seeing each other until he broke up with Shou.

_ Shou. _

The thought of his co worker filled him with dread. His hands grew clammy as he realized what he had to do. Breaking up with someone was never easy. And what made things harder was the fact that Shou never did anything wrong. Sure he wasn’t as attentive or selfless as Uruha, but he never did anything to purposely harm Ruki.  

Ruki swallowed the bile that began to build up in his throat. Upon realization, he was the troubled one in the relationship. He caused a useless fight and cheated on Shou. His guilt came crashing back into him. 

The moment Ruki stepped out of the kitchen, he was once again cornered by his coworkers.

“Ruki! Is everything alright?!” The blonde turned his head and was greeted by the worried face of the pink haired waiter named Nao. He was only an inch taller than Ruki and had short pink-dyed hair that only covered the tips of his ears. Usually, he wore a bright smile and projected a cheerful aura. 

“Um, yeah. I’m fine. Thanks for worrying.” Ruki forced a smile. He was already getting tired of the question.

“Shou will be so glad you’re okay. He’s been so worried.”

Ruki felt his body tense at his boyfriend’s name. Normally he’d be happy to hear that his lover was concerned for his well-being. But it just made what he had to do all the more difficult.

Nao smiled and walked away, deciding to let Ruki finally get to work. There were only a few customers, the place was not busy yet. 

The blonde waiter only took a few steps into the dining area before he saw the familiar sight of his brunette boyfriend. The man turned his head and smiled widely upon seeing Ruki. The shorter man knew there was no avoiding it, he couldn’t run away now.

Shou’s walked over towards the petite man with long strides. His normal, toothy smile plastered on his face the closer he got to the blonde waiter. The grin that use to be endearing, now made Ruki’s task all the more difficult. 

“Ruki.” The brunette whispered. He looked down at his coworker and closed the distance between them with a quick hug. It took Ruki completely by surprise.

_ Dammit. I can’t break up with you when you’re acting so nice. _

“I was so relieved when Kai called you.” Shou pulled away from the hug to look him in the eyes. “He told me you slept in.”

“Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t hear my alarm.” Ruki couldn’t hold the gaze. His eyes bounced all around trying to find something else to look at besides Shou’s sickenly sweet gaze.

The taller waiter noticed this and his smile vanished.

“Are you feeling okay?” The brunette place a hand against Ruki’s forehead to feel for a fever. “This isn’t like you.”

“I’m fine. Nothing to worry about.”  

“I just thought that maybe since Uruha was sick, you might’ve caught it.” Shou pulled his hand away as Ruki shook his head.

“Oh, no it’s all good. Uruha’s back to himself. He’s alright.” The blonde’s smile was weak and forced. But it must’ve been convincing enough for Shou since he let the conversation end at that. 

“That’s good to hear. Glad you’re okay, but we need to get to work.” Shou returned to his position at the front. 

The rest of the day was agonizing to Ruki. He wished he would’ve just called off. As he waited on tables, his mind wandered constantly.  He mixed orders up and earned a few yells from one angry customer. Shou jumped in to defend him and apologize to the patron. He appeased the man by giving him a free meal.

The brunette covered for him while he let Ruki out for a smoke break to ease his tension.

It was just an awful day, and Ruki was so relieved when the clock displayed 5pm; quitting time. He didn’t hesitate to grab his jacket and bolt out the door. He just wanted to get home and relax. Despite being late for work, he was the first one out the door.

Upon leaving the restaurant, the blonde jumped slightly at the presence of someone else in the alleyway. 

“Uruha?” Ruki recognized the messy blonde hair and thin frame. But he wasn’t wearing his usual purple outfit. Instead he wore black leather pants and thigh high boots. The left pant leg was cut short, exposing his thigh. On top he wore a large, black sweater that drapped to reveal his shoulders and the strap to the tank top underneath. Ruki didn’t know how he did it, but he managed to look comfortable and sexy at the same time.

Uruha smiled and bounced in front of the waiter. His excitement was too much.

“I have a surprise for you. Follow me!” The genie grabbed at Ruki’s hands and tried to pull him down the alleyway before the waiter had any time to process what was going on. 

“Wait!” The blonde human firmly planted his feet against the dirt. “Give me a second.”

The genie released his grip and bit the inside of his cheek. He blushed as he realized his urgency was a bit of a surprise. He was just too excited he couldn’t contain it.

“What are you doing?”

“I already told you.” Uruha whined. “I don’t wanna say too much or else it’ll ruin the surprise. Just, follow me okay?”

Ruki contemplated the offer. After the day he had, he needed some rest. Apart from the nasty customer and lousy tips, he also had the emotional turmoil boiling inside of him. He didn’t want to have Shou grow any more attached to him. But with the way today went, it just wasn’t a good time to break up. 

Having no idea what Uruha had in store made him hesitate. He trusted the genie, but he needed some quiet time to ease his mind. Plus he wanted to get as far away from Planet Nine as he could before he ran into the center of his problems.

“Hey, Ruki!” 

A voice from behind him caused an unpleasant shiver to run down his spine. He looked at Uruha with wide, frightened eyes. The genie noticed the change in mood right away and walked closer towards Ruki, but he didn’t dare lay a hand on the human. 

Shou saw the genie and his smile grew forced.

“Oh, Uruha. What a surprise. Are you feeling better?” The brunette’s eyes stared at the genie with a fake kindness.

“Much better. Thanks for the concern.” Uruha bowed his head. 

Shou turned his attention back towards his boyfriend. The air between all of them grew tense with unspoken jealousy. There was a small competition going on between Uruha and Shou, even if neither were willing to admit it. 

“I was wondering if you wanted to go get some drinks or something? Today kind of sucked so I thought you might need the down time. What you say?” Shou lightly brushed his fingers against Ruki’s hand. It was a small jester that was meant to show affection, but on instinct Ruki pulled away. He didn’t notice the fall on Shou’s face.

“Thanks Shou, but I was actually going to go hang with Uru.” The small waiter pointed to the genie right behind him. “You know, since he’s feeling better. We were gonna celebrate.”

Shou’s pride was hurt. His own boyfriend rejected him and decided to spend his evening with another man. The brunette fought hard to not let his envy show on his face.

“Oh, no that’s fine. You probably need that after being cooped up, huh?” The tall waiter shrugged.

“Yeah. I’ve been dying to stretch my legs again.” Uruha giggled. 

“Well, I won’t hold you two up anymore.” Shou place a hand on the small man’s shoulder. Leaning forward, he lightly pecked Ruki on the cheek. “Ruki, if you need anything feel free to call or text me anytime.”

“I will.” The petite blonde smiled and patted his boyfriend on the arm.

Shou bowed his head and walked the opposite way, down the alley to head towards the parking lot. He left the two blondes standing in silence. Uruha finally spoke up when the brunette was out of sight.

“So you didn’t break up with him.” The genie’s statement was flat. But it caused a lump of fear to well up in Ruki’s throat. He turned around and look at his genie with big doe eyes.

“I’m sorry. I know I should’ve but the time wasn’t right. He was being so nice and I couldn’t do it right after he defended me to that customer because I thought that would be a dick move and it’s just hard and...and…”

Uruha silenced Ruki’s rambling with a chaste kiss to the lips. The waiter’s mouth hung agape as he looked at the genie. He expected to find a possessive jealousy. But instead, Uruha looked at him with the warmest of smiles.

“It’s okay. I understand. It’s hard to do.” The genie’s thumb caressed the waiter’s cheek while he cradled his jaw in his hand. “As long as you love me, I have no worries about Shou’s presence.”

The genie’s hand was warm against the waiter’s face. He felt his eyes flutter shut at the sweet words. 

“I’m not saying stay with him, I will be happier when you do breakup with him. But I know that’s not something you can just do overnight.” Uruha continued to smile. Ruki heard the sting of jealousy at the beginning of his sentence. The waiter couldn’t blame him, he was still in a technical relationship with another man. But Uruha understood. He always did.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” 

The genie chuckled and pressed another kiss to the blonde’s painted lips. They were salty with sweat from his day at work, but Uruha didn’t complain. It was a unique Ruki taste.

“Come on, let’s continue with the surprise, eh?” He led Ruki down the alley, hand in hand.

* * *

 

_ They’re just friends, nothing to worry about. _

Shou paced back and forth in his living room; desperately trying to convince himself. Whenever they first met, he always had a funny feeling about Uruha. He felt like there was a stronger connection he had with Ruki that neither admitted to him.

He shook his head. He refused to think poorly of Ruki. He spent the last two years daydreaming about his short coworker, and now they were official. And they were happy together. Well, he thought they were.

They went on dates, slept together, and always laughed. That was enough for a relationship, right?

Shou ran his hand through his hair and let out a frustrated sigh. He plopped on his couch, the cushions squeaking under him. He did not want to entertain the idea that Ruki was being unfaithful in any way. He loved him too much. 

_ But do you trust him? _

His negative thoughts would not flee.Gritting his teeth, he picked up a pillow and hugged it to his chest.

_ Ruki would never do something like that. He’s honest and innocent. _

He’s worked with the blonde long enough to know how pure his intentions were. Ruki was hardworking and prided himself on that. Everything he’s earned, it’s been thanks to his own two hands and perseverance. He was so admirable and just a generally good person. He never held any ill-intentions for any of their coworkers.

_ What about Uruha? _

Shou’s eyes stared blankly in front of him. He knew little to nothing of the mysterious blonde who randomly appeared in Ruki’s life. The waiter never mentioned the name until the man decided to move to town. 

_ How much history is between them? _

A knot started to form in the brunette’s stomach. So much uncertainty clouded his mind. He hated these emotions, but the longer he spent alone the more these thoughts invaded his mind.

Sick of the doubt he has surrounded himself with, he picked up his cell phone and scrolled through his contact. He needed answers to his questions if he was ever going to feel better. And he decided who better, than Ruki’s own best friend.

“Shou? Everything alright? You never call.” The confused voice on the other end sounded maternal in his concern. No wonder he gained Ruki’s friendship.

“Kai! Hi. Yeah, I’m good.” Shou couldn’t help but feel a bit of comfort in hearing another person’s voice right now.

“Oh, well I’m glad to hear that.” There was an awkward silence. The cook tried to fill the silence as he wasn’t sure why he was receiving this call. “So do you want something or…?”

“I have some questions actually.”

Another pause. Shou started to wonder if maybe he should’ve just texted instead.

“I’ll try my best.” Kai’s cheerfully responded. Shou could just picture that dimpled face without physically seeing it.

“How did Ruki meet Uruha?”

“Huh?”

The brunette waiter winced. Maybe he shouldn’t be too brash with his questions. Afterall, Kai was his best bet at the moment.

“Uruha. I just wanted to know about him. Ruki never told me much about him but they seem close.” Shou tried to sound casual and mask his jealousy. 

“Um, well I don’t know too much about Uruha myself. I only met him when he moved in with Ruki.” Kai mumbled. 

“What about Reita?” A twinge of anger had Shou speaking before thinking. He remembers that strange man with a noseband always hanging out with Uruha. Ruki did tell him they were friends. And when Kai started dating him, Ruki made it a big deal. The small man talked excitedly about it.

“What about him?” A defensive tone came from Kai’s end.

“Isn’t he’s Uruha’s best friend? And you’re dating him so you probably talked about him before.” 

Silence. Shou worried his lips as he waited for some kind of response from Kai. But the lull grew longer; swallowing the brunette. He heard his heart race loudly in his own ears.

“Can I come over?” Hurried words garbled their way out of Shou’s mouth. He needed answers, and apparently over the phone was not the way to go. Too many silences and not enough face-to-face contact.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kai’s voice dripped with concern. Though this time, it was absent of any maternal inflections. 

“Yeah, I think I am. I just…” 

_ Need the truth. _

“I don’t want to be alone with my thoughts right now.” Shou sighed. His world was tumbling on top of him right now and he felt like he couldn’t find his footing.

There was quiet from the other end once again. He was beginning to wonder if Kai hung up on him. When he was about to check to see if they were still connected, the cook finally spoke.

“You know where I live.”

“Thanks Kai.” Shou squeaked and hung up. 

He jumped off his couch and ran to get his shoes.

* * *

 

Kai stared at his phone; defeated. Reita fell asleep on the couch beside him. His neck was limp, leaving his head lopsided against the back of the couch. His eyes were shut and his mouth hung open. Every so often he’d produce a small snoring noise.

The movie they were watching was still playing on the television, though neither man paid any attention to it now.

Shou was on his way to pay them a visit.

_ Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya! It's me again! Wow, I can't believe we're already at chapter 20! Where did that time go? haha. I'm not sure how long this fic will be now that I think about it, cause there's still a good bit to go. So this might be a little past the halfway mark.....I think? lol We'll just wait and see. Hope you enjoyed this update and I look forward to seeing you all for the next one. ^^


	21. Distrust and Dinner

Reita crossed his arms and sat rigid against the couch. He glared daggers at the brunette waiter who currently sat on the floor on the other side of the coffee table. Shou mostly looked at Kai. But every so often his gaze would shift over to the genie only to be averted upon making contact. There was a noticeable air of hostility between the two.

Kai, however, tried to keep a smile on his face and cover-up his boyfriend’s sour mood. In all honesty, he was nervous about Shou’s abrupt visit. He knew his coworker was questioning Uruha’s presence around Ruki, and the cook really wished his best friend would have broken things off so he didn’t have to sit here and lie for him.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything to drink?” Kai pointed in the direction of his kitchen. 

“No, thank you.”

Kai bit his lip. He was hoping he’d want a drink or some food at least. They needed something to alleviate the tension and get this awkward confrontation over with. The cook shifted in his seat and looked over towards his lover.

“What about you?”

Reita shook his head. He gave no verbal response and kept his arms crossed. Kai nodded and returned his gaze towards Shou and forced a smile. He knew the genie was not happy with the presence of the waiter. 

When he woke him up and told him about their unexpected visitor, the genie was livid. He did not want to spill all of Uruha’s secret to some man who obviously disliked him. Reita was never too fond of Shou when he first learned he was dating Ruki. He saw how crestfallen Uruha was about the two waiters’ relationship. 

Now that his friend was finally happy, he refused to let the brunette waiter ruin that.

“Alright. So what is it you wanted?” Kai’s fingers played with a hole in his jeans. The frayed fabric ripping with each pull.

“I was hoping to learn more about Uruha.” Shou looked down at the coffee table. He felt a small sting on his cheeks, his skin tinting with a light shade of pink.

“Why?” Kai tilted his head. It was unexpected for the brunette to suddenly inquire about the blonde. Kai worried that he might’ve learned about the dalliance the two blondes had a week ago in Ruki’s kitchen. 

“I just...I have this uneasy feeling when I see him with Ruki. I’m not sure how to explain it.” Shou clutched his shirt over his chest. 

_ Jealousy.  _ It was so obvious to Kai. But Shou was just as much his friend as Ruki was. He didn’t want to cause any sort of rift.

“Shou, do you think you might be jealous?” The cook tried to breach the subject in a delicate matter. The last thing he needed was Shou to explode on him.

“Jealous of what?”

“Maybe at the fact that Ruki is spending time with Uruha.” The way Kai spelled out the situation to Shou was so simple. The waiter chewed his lip as he pondered the thought.

“Hmm… I guess so.” Having it said out loud made Shou feel smaller. He knew he shouldn’t be so petty, but here he was. “But why should I be jealous? Me and Ruki are happy together.”

Kai and Reita remained silent. The chef looked down at his knees. The hole in his jeans was growing larger as he fidgeted with the frayed fabric. He knew he shouldn’t ruin his pants like this, but he had to keep his hands busy. Kai felt uneasy at Shou’s line of thinking.

_ Geez Ruki, why didn’t you just break it off? _

Reita remained like a statue on his side of the couch. His face didn’t crack with a single emotion and he never uttered a simple sound. He just waited to see where Shou was going. 

“Okay, I guess I don’t fully trust Uruha. I can’t be sure that he wouldn’t try to steal Ruki from me.” Shou sighed, realizing the silence between them.

“If you and Ruki are so happy, why would he leave you for Uruha?” Reita finally spoke to the surprise of both humans. His low, baritone voice made Shou jump slightly as his tone was one of annoyance. “If Ruki were to leave you for Uruha, that’d be his own decision.”

“Reita!?” Kai gasped. His boyfriend had been quiet the entire time. He suspected the genie’s distaste towards Shou, he didn’t expect the harsh outburst.

“What? I’m sick of this. He’s never liked Uruha.” Reita grumbled. “And now he’s accusing Uruha of messing with Ruki.”

“But Ruki is my boyfriend.” Shou’s brows furrowed into a firm line and the corner of his mouth downturned.

“And you’re point? You are just trying to blame Uruha for your own problems.” Reita’s arms were still crossed as he looked down his covered nose at Shou. Kai resigned and watched the interactions between the two. He racked his brain on how to defuse the situation. But with each second he thought, Reita kept pushing Shou’s buttons. 

The genie’s temper was growing short as he listened to the brunette question his friend. Uruha was the brightest soul he ever met, he’d be damned if he let someone speak poorly of him. The genie went through hell to get to where he was. If being with Ruki made him happy, Reita would help get Shou out of the picture.

“You seem so keen on defending him.” The waiter glared and straightened his back. Inquisitive, he raised his one brow. “Do you know something I don’t?”

Reita shrugged his shoulders. Of course he did. He knew more than Shou could ever hope for. But he wasn’t about to admit it. He figured if he could rile the human up, his own fury would be his downfall.

“What?” Shou’s voice dipped lower, his curiosity mixing with anger. 

Once again, Reita shrugged his shoulders. The lack of response from the nose-banded man irritated Shou. The waiter stood up and stomped towards Reita. He towered over the sitting man, his eyes lit by a fire inside. 

“What did Uruha do to Ruki?” 

“Nothing.” Reita locked his eyes with Shou’s. The genie refused to back down. He was not afraid of a confrontation. 

“You’re hiding something.” Shou snapped. His face was close enough to Reita’s that a bit of spittle hit the genie in the face as Shou spoke through gritted teeth.

“I’m not hiding anything. Uruha never did anything towards Ruki.” The genie raised his hand in surrender. Then a small smirk played at the corner of his lips. “Have you ever thought that maybe Ruki did something to Uruha?”

“Little Shit!” Shou hissed and raised his hands towards Reita’s neck. He grabbed the genie by the collar and pulled him off his seat so he was standing. 

Kai’s eyes shot wide open and he immediately jumped to his feet. His thoughts finally fell into order and he got a hold of himself.

“Shou! Stop!” The cook whined and moved his arms between the two men to try and pry them apart. He managed to get a bit of distance between them. Though Shou still had a grip on the brunette’s shirt.

“Kai, what the fuck is wrong with your boyfriend. He’s an asshole.” Shou looked at the cook whose hand was placed firmly on both men’s chests.

Reita had struck a nerve of Shou’s. The conversation took a turn for the worse. And Kai wasn’t expecting Reita to be the cause of the turmoil.

“Oh? But I thought you and Ruki had a perfect little relationship.” The genie sang in a mockingly sweet tone.

“Reita, enough.” Kai scolded his lover. But it was too late, his words already stung Shou’s pride.

“You son of a bitch!” 

Shou shouted and moved to take a swing at the infuriating brunette. Kai screamed in horror when he saw the fist moving to hit his lover in the side of the face. He could not stop it and he knew it. He closed his eyes, anticipating the sound of the dull thud and grunts of pain.

But it never came.

Kai opened his eyes to find Shou’s fist suspended near Reita’s temple. It stopped in its tracks and remained still. The brunette waiter had a look of horror upon his face as he stared at his intended target.

Reita’s face was stern. His eyes clouded over with a blue haze. The waiter’s hand was encased in gold sparkles as smoke drifted from the brunette’s body. The air around them changed as all eyes were on Reita. The man was intimidating, his stance made him seem taller and tower over the two humans. Shou’s mouth was slack as his anger dissolved into fear. He trembled under the gaze.

Kai’s mind snapped. He never saw this side of Reita. He caught a glimpse of it when they entered Ruki’s apartment uninvited. But the genie used his powers to protect Kai. At the moment, he wasn’t doing any of this for Kai’s best interests.

“Reita…” The cook whimpered. His voice a low, almost whisper. 

The genie turned his head to the side. Even with his pupils clouded over, Kai knew he was looking directly at him. His stern face softened, his mouth frowning. 

“Kai….” The genie called towards his lover. The energy he was radiating dissolved by the second. He released Shou’s hand, the waiter letting it fall limp at his side. Soon Reita’s body returned to normal, the smoke was gone and his eyes returned to their normal appearance. Guilt flooding his irises as a blush crawled along his cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

His apology was towards his boyfriend, and not the man he’d been insulting. 

The genie turned his head back towards their visitor. Shou’s eyes were wide and stared at Reita with a fear. The brunette waiter was stunned. The genie turned back towards his boyfriend and his blush deepened to a vibrant shade of crimson.

“I fucked up.” He whispered towards Kai.

The cook stared at the other mortal in the room. Reita just blew his cover and revealed himself to Shou. This was not good.

“I’m so sorry, Shou.” Kai ran to his coworker’s side. He placed an arm gingerly on the man’s shoulder. It seemed to snap him out of his stupor cause now his eyes stared at Kai.

“What the hell was that?” Shou raised his arm and flexed his hand. Nothing was broken or out of the ordinary. But the sensation of having it stop in mid-air was still fresh in his mind. 

“Please don’t tell anyone. I’m so so sorry.” Kai’s voice was pleading. The mortal waiter looked at his friend. He never saw Kai beg before. It was almost pitiful how his lips fell into a frown. His smile suited his face better. 

“Kai, what the hell is Reita?” Shou side-eyed the brunette. Reita stiffened his posture at the mention of his name, but he held his head low. Shame overtook the genie’s emotion.

“Please don’t tell anyone.” Kai was next to tears. Shou had a hard time looking at him. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but apparently he saw something he was never meant to. 

Reita frightened him. He stopped his punch with little more than a blink of an eye. Shou didn’t know what else the brunette was capable of. And he was not keen on finding out. But the nose-banded man seemed to have backed down. Whatever he was, he followed Kai’s will. The waiter felt a bit of relief knowing that whatever power Reita had, he didn’t unleash it without Kai’s permission.

But now, Kai was at his mercy. The cook was babbling apologies and fighting back tears. His hand tightening on Shou’s shoulder the longer he waited for some kind of reply. 

Shou studied his friend. He arrived to Kai’s apartment to ask him about Uruha and relieve his jealousy. He was not expecting to run into some kind of magical creature in the process. After the fight with Reita, he almost lost hope on getting any answers. But now had the upper hand.

“Alright. I’ll keep this a secret.” Shou finally spoke after an eternity of silence.

“Oh, thank you.” Kai’s face instantly lit up. His mouth turned upwards and his grip loosened. He looked like he was just pardoned from a death sentence.

“On one condition.” Kai’s face fell again. Shou’s tone lacked any kind of friendliness, and Kai caught it. Shou held up his index finger. “I want you to answer me one question.”

There was silence. Reita looked at his lover with worry. Whatever Kai wanted, he would do it. He made up his mind. If Kai wished him to end Shou right here, he would without hesitation. He readied himself for anything. But Kai did not look up. Instead the cook examined his feet as he shifted back and forth on them. Chewing his lip, the cook mulled the proposition over. 

“I guess I have no choice.” Kai finally sighed. “What is it?”

* * *

 

“Uru, my feet hurt and I need a shower.” Ruki’s whine echoed against the walls encasing the alleyway. The bad day at work had taken a toll on his body. He was tired and craved the comfort of his bed; let alone the sweat that clung to him in uncomfortable places.

He was currently being tugged by Uruha towards some unknown destination.

“It’s not much further.” The genie turned around and smiled. He still kept Ruki’s hand held in his own with a tight grip. 

The waiter stifled the giggle in his throat. He had no idea what Uruha had planned, but damn if he wasn’t adorable. Ruki had to walk fast just to keep up with Uruha’s long strides. 

The waiter just shrugged and went along, admiring the view in front of him.

Uruha’s sweater was large and shear. He could see the outline of the genie’s thin frame through the fabric. The neckline hung low, revealing his shoulder. The skin was pale and had a few faint speckles adorning it. Even his imperfections were gorgeous. He just wanted to press light kissed against his collarbone and trace the path of the sunspots.

His eyes traveled south and admired the way the black leather shorts accentuated his waist. He didn’t have much of an ass, but Ruki still checked it out. The pants were cut short on one leg, revealing the creamy skin of his famous thighs. He watched the slight jiggle of his thigh with each step. His long legs were accentuated by the black thigh high boots the genie chose to wear. Ruki always had a bit of a leg fetish, so naturally he was drawn to the slender genie’s limbs.

Uruha was clearly dressed up, making Ruki feel self-conscious of still wearing his sweaty work clothes. 

“Should we stop at home so I can change?” Ruki mumbled as he looked around his surroundings. He wasn’t too sure where they were at, he’d never travelled down this road before. 

“What’s wrong with what you have on?” Uruha didn’t slow his steps. He kept pushing forward.

“I don’t know where we’re going. But looking at you, I feel under dressed.” 

“What’s wrong with what I have on?” Uruha looked over his shoulder to scrutinize his small lover. His steps slowed, but he continued out of the alleyway, cut across another street down another alley.

“No-nothing!” Ruki stuttered. He felt his cheeks heat up at the admission. “It’s just you look so hot and I...well I don’t.”

The genie stopped dead in his tracks. Ruki almost ran into him at the sudden halt. The waiter was about to ask what he was doing. But before he could get the words out, Uruha’s lips were on his. 

With a tenderness, the genie pressed his plump lips over Ruki’s sweaty ones. The genie ran his hand up to cradle the blonde in his palm. His fingers intertwining with the loose strands that fell along his neck. Ruki was taken off guard, he needed a moment to register what was happening before he reciprocated the kiss, resting his own hands on Uruha’s waist.

“You’re the most gorgeous creature I have ever laid eyes on.” The genie pulled away and whispered. His voice low and sultry making a shiver run up the waiter’s spin.

They stood in silence as they exchanged loving gazes. Ruki wanted to quip with a smart remark, but couldn’t find it in him to do so. He decided to enjoy the moment for what it was. 

“Let’s go. We are literally almost there.” Uruha chuckled before placing another peck to his master’s lips. Ruki giggled and rolled his eyes. 

But true to his word, Uruha led them out of the alley to a very familiar street. Across from them, the bright neon letters that read “Taboo” shone brightly against the darkening sky. Ruki furrowed his brows as they crossed the street to the entrance of the bar.

“Why is this such a surprise? We use to go here all the time.”

“Just wait.” Uruha hummed and reached for the shorter’s hand again. He led him inside the all too familiar bar.

Ruki couldn’t contain the gasp as they entered. It was Taboo, but it looked completely different. The barroom was transformed into a cozy looking eatery with curtains draped all over the place, and oriental rugs scattered on the floor. Where the bar use to be, there was a large white screen hanging against the wall. It was blank, making Ruki wonder what it’s purpose was. 

The lighting was dim, like usual. Candles sat on top each table, the lights setting the mood. A few lanterns hung from the ceiling, bathing the room in a garnet light. It was warm, and brought an easiness to Ruki’s mind. 

The place was empty, not a single other customer. The waiter looked around and wondered if Uruha had a hand in this. Was this all for him?

“What do you think?” Uruha turned and looked at his lover expectantly. He watched as Ruki twirled his head around to take it all in. The waiter’s eyes were wide as they scanned their surroundings and his mouth gaped open.

“It’s….different.” Ruki hesitated. He wasn’t entirely too sure what to think. He felt a sense of comfort he never thought he’d find at a bar.

Uruha’s face fell. The shorter looked up and almost giggled at how hurt the genie looked. Uruha must’ve put forth a great deal of work if he was aching for an response.

“It’s romantic, did you do this?” Ruki smiled, and saw Uruha deflate. The genie sighed in relief.

“Well, it wasn’t entirely  _ my  _ idea.” 

The genie scratched at the back of his neck nervously, and then looked up. In front of them, Kaya stood. Ruki jumped at the sudden appearance.  _ He wasn’t there a second ago. _

Ruki’s first instinct was to run. Reita warned him about Kaya and his vicious ways. The man was a murderer by all accounts. The waiter tightened his grip on Uruha’s hand, a cold sweat forming at his temples.

Kaya noticed the tenseness and smiled. “So you are Ruki? It’s nice to formally meet you at last.”

Kaya’s black shrouded form bowed politely. His attire was different than his usual. He was dressed in a black, form fitting dress with slits down both sides to show off his smooth legs. The trim around the chest was adorned with a multitude of gold beads and lace. The belt around his waist was also decorated in gold coins and fabric. His shoulders were covered by a shear cape that flowed around him. His ink hair was styled in an updo with a marigold colored headdress draping over his forehead decorated with small gems. His eyes were the usual piercing blue and his lashes fanned out to give his eyes a more intimidating look.

Kaya’s overall appearance was similar to when Uruha first met him. He looked exotic, much like a typical genie. 

Ruki opened his mouth but did not respond. He was visibly frightened by the man and couldn’t find the words to speak. Kaya smirked as he noticed this and moved closer.

“You do not have to be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”

“Reita’s former master, you killed him. How can I be sure you won’t do the same to me.” Ruki’s face twisted into a scowl as he spat his words out. Uruha gasped and turned towards his lover. 

“Ruki, that’s…” But he was cut off when Kaya raised his hand. The femme fatale giggled and shook his head.

“That was different. I am tired of that game.” There was a hint of sadness in the feminine genie’s voice. It almost made Ruki feel guilty for bringing it up. “Besides, I couldn’t bring harm to anyone that brings so much joy to Uruha.” 

With that, the blonde genie became flustered. Ruki bit back his laughter. It was amusing to see Uruha’s confidence from earlier disappear and be replaced by his shy side. 

“Now why don’t you two have a seat and enjoy your evening.” The bar owner smiled once more and stepped out of their way. He disappeared behind a set of curtains leaving the two blondes alone.

“Ruki, it’s okay. We can trust Kaya.” Uruha rubbed his hand along the waiter’s back in a soothing motion. Ruki wanted to believe his lover. But he spent so long fearing the man in question, that the idea of trusting him within a second didn’t sit well with him. Reita warned him, and the brunette was very firm in his conviction.

“Sorry. It might take me a bit to get used to the idea.” Ruki sighed.

“Come on, let’s take a seat.” The lanky blonde smiled, intertwining their fingers. 

The genie led them to the table seated in front of the blank screen. Ruki wondered why they had all the other tables set up if they were the only two who would be here. But he decided to just be thankful for the effort instead of nitpicking. 

Ruki sat across from Uruha, crossing his legs and leaning forward on the table. He admired the man in front of him. The dim lighting casted shadows against the genie’s face, showing off his beautiful eyes and sharp jawline. The waiter had to shift his gaze before he drooled over the genie.

The petite blonde scanned the rest of the bar. The curtains were billowing all around them, intricate trim and designs stitched on all of them. The colors of each complimented the rugs that were scattered below their feet. The entire room had an exotic appeal to Ruki.

“So, how long were you planning this?” The human kept looking around the room. Everytime he blinked, he swore there was something new to look at.

“Since this morning.”

“You mean you did all this in the afternoon?!” Uruha responded like it wasn’t anything special. But Ruki’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. The way the place looked, he would’ve thought this place was under renovation for years.

“Well, yeah. We’re genies so it’s all magic.”

“Yet the construction of a sandwich eludes you.” Ruki leaned forward and rested his chin on his folded hands; smirking.

“It’s not my fault. I’ve relied on my magic for centuries now.” The genie whined.

_ Centuries. _ Ruki always knew how long Uruha’s been alive. But sometimes the gravity of it doesn’t hit him. It’s something they know but never talk about. The waiter started contemplating his life. Was he really worth the genie’s time? Uruha had lived so long and met such diverse people, how could he consider himself special? He was just another person in the genie’s journey.

“What’s wrong?” Uruha noticed the human’s silence.

“Sometimes I forget how old you are.” Ruki released a heavy sigh and slouched his shoulders. “You’ve lived such a long life, how could you be happy with me?”

Within seconds, Ruki felt a smooth hand cradle his jaw. His eyes shot up as he found Uruha inches from his face, their noses almost touching. The genie’s eyes held a warmth inside them that made the waiter forget everything.

“Ruki, I’ve told you before. You have the brightest spirit I’ve ever seen. The fact that it took me centuries to find you was well worth the wait.” The smile he gave was enough to melt Ruki’s heart.

But he still felt an uncertainty inside of him. Uruha loved him, he could tell. So why was he so afraid of breaking up with Shou? His coworker never looked at him the same way the genie did. 

Before he could say anything else, the screen beside them lightened up and distracted them.

“What’s going on?” Ruki’s eyes furrowed as he watched the light project onto the blank screen. The image focused and revealed small copyright information at the bottom of the screen. 

“I know how much you like movies, so I thought we could have a small show while we enjoyed dinner?” Uruha’s thumb gently massaged Ruki’s cheek. The waiter felt his eyes grow heavy as he relished in the small affections.

“This part was all Uruha’s idea.” Kaya’s voice pulled Ruki out of his lull.

“Holy hell!” The waiter cursed and broke from the genie’s embrace. He turned to find Kaya’s dark figure standing beside their table unexpectedly. “You’re going to give me a heart attack before the night is done.”

Kaya’s rose-tinted lips smirked and released a small giggle. 

Ruki looked down at their table and was surprised to find food in front of them. As well as a glass of deep red wine sitting beside each of their plates. He would have screamed in hysterics if he didn’t know they were genies. Magic shouldn’t be anything new to him. But it was still unexpected.

The waiter marveled at the meal in front of them. Sashimi. He remembers having once a long time ago when he was little. His family was celebrating some promotion for one of his parents and dined at an expensive sushi restaurant. But it was always too expensive for him to indulge in with his current budget. 

Down the middle of the plate, slices of raw salmon were folded together to form a rose. Three roses sat surrounded by a colorful overlay of mackerel, tuna, and fugu. A light garnish of daikon and shiso bordered the creation on the edge of the plate. It was the most elaborate thing the waiter had ever seen. 

When he looked up to thank Kaya, the feminine genie was gone. 

He turned to Uruha instead. His lover looked at him with puppy eyes. 

“Is everything okay?”

“Are you kidding? This is beautiful! I feel bad that I have to eat it.” Ruki looked between his plate and his magical date with amazement. 

“I kind of wished I made it by hand now. Maybe you would’ve been more impressed.” Uruha blushed and took a sip of his wine to try and hide it.

“You don’t have to focus on impressing me.” The waiter shook his head and laughed. “I love you already.”

Ruki stared at the genie. He realized what he just said. It slipped from his mouth without thinking. He should be worried. This was their first technical date together- if you don’t count the Shou impersonation- and he already confessed his love to Uruha. Ruki never uttered those words on a first date. 

It felt natural though.The presence of Uruha never riled him up in a negative way. He felt relaxed around the genie. He didn’t have to dress up or impress him. They shared an apartment together so Uruha has seen Ruki’s morning self with bed hair and drool stains. He had nothing to hide from the genie. 

Uruha brightened at the words. His blush was impossible to hide as it spread to his ears and down his chest.

“I love you too.” He mumbled behind the glass. 

They sat in comfortable silence. Both glowing in their mutual feelings. Uruha reached towards Ruki’s plate with his own chopsticks. The waiter only watched as the genie picked up a piece of tuna and dipped it before moving it towards Ruki’s mouth. The waiter furrowed his brow and looked at his lover with a slight confusion. 

“Take a bite and tell me what you think. I’m dying to know.” Uruha blushed even deeper. His forwardness from earlier was gone and replaced by his flustered self. Ruki smiled and felt his heart squeeze at how adorable the man was being. He leaned forward and took the bite. 

_ He just fed me! _ His mind was screaming and he felt like a school girl swooning over a crush. He tried to keep his throat from closing as he swallowed the fish. His mind was running wild and his heartbeat was so quick, he wanted to jump with excitement. 

“It’s delicious.” Ruki smiled. “It’s so good, I wouldn’t even think I’m in a bar right now.”

Uruha laughed at the waiter’s smart-witted response.

The screen beside them changed to a title sequence of a movie. Ruki watched as the opening credits scrolled and displayed the name of the movie.

“‘Your Last Wish?’” Ruki read the title aloud. The letters were sliding down the screen in a blood-like font.

“Yeah, I didn’t take you for the romantic movie type. I figured a cheesy horror film would be better.” Uruha’s smug face watched the words flash on the screen.

“You know me so well.” Ruki shook his head and snorted. “And of course you picked one with genies.”

“I figured you liked genies.” The thin blonde side-eyed Ruki. 

The waiter blushed and nodded. He wouldn’t say he likes genies. But he was particularly fond of one.

* * *

 

“I guess I have no choice. What is it?” Kai’s voice rang with defeat. His eyes were downcast as he stared at his feet. 

Reita felt awful for putting his lover in this situation. He knew it was his fault for overreacting. He berated himself for losing his self-control. 

“Is Uruha in love with Ruki?” Shou’s question made the brunettes flinch. They both knew the answer without a doubt. 

Kai pondered whether or not he should lie. But he didn’t want to run the risk of Shou telling everyone about Reita and his magic. Kai was too afraid of losing the genie so soon. He sighed.

“Yes.”

Without looking up, the cook honestly answered the questions. He kept his eyes down as he saw the shadow of Shou move and leave. The waiter exited the apartment without a goodbye. He received his answer and left.

Kai didn’t know what he was to expect now, but he worried for Uruha and Ruki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya peeps! So I know this update is late, last week kind of got away from me so I tried to make this chapter a little bit longer in hopes to make up for the wait. Thank you all for sticking with me though! You are all so sweet and I love hearing from you; it makes writing this little fic all the more worthwhile. ^^


	22. Romance

“This movie is terrible.” Uruha had his elbow on the table, propping his chin up with this hand. 

The plates on their table were empty save for a few crumbs. Even their wine was mostly gone by now. The pair of blondes watched the movie and commented through the entire thing. It was reminiscent of their first date together; the one where Uruha was disguised as Shou. They picked on the movie’s plot, acting, and set design. 

They were alone for the time being. Kaya was around, but neither knew where he went to. He just appeared at random times. Uruha made a mental note to thank him for all of this later. He was enjoying his time with Ruki. The small waiter was smiling and laughing throughout their entire evening. The genie was relieved to see him relax after a stressful day of work.

“Of course it is. You can see the strings holding the genie up.” Ruki giggled and pointed towards the screen. The actor portraying the djinn was suspended mid air by visible wires. 

“He is a terrible genie too.” The real-life genie mumbled as the actor on screen murdered a woman with terrible CGI magic.

“Well yeah, he just killed one of those humans. Wouldn’t he be punished for that?”

“Big time.” Uruha remarked. The smile on his face softened at the corners.

The waiter took a moment to realize what he just said. His giggling ceased and he looked over at his date. His brows furrowed and he chewed the inside of his cheeks. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring that up.” Ruki was internally berating himself. 

_ You idiot! Why would you bring that up!? You probably just pissed him off! Why can’t you ever think things through before saying them! _

“It’s okay. You didn’t mean any offense by it.” Uruha was leaning back in his chair now. He crossed his legs and rested his hand flat on the tabletop. He was paying close attention to Ruki, ignoring the movie. 

The waiter shuffled in his seat. His hands were folded between his thighs and he hunched his shoulders forward. His hair hung forward, obscuring his scarlet cheeks.

“I ruined the mood, didn’t I?” His voice quivered. Ruki squeezed his eyes shut to prevent any tears from forming. He wasn’t dumb, he knew what he said affected Uruha in some way. Whether the genie told him or not. 

He heard the genie’s chair squeak against the floor. 

_ That’s it, he’s gonna leave now. You really screwed up Ruki. _

The waiter’s negative thoughts flooded his mind. He didn’t know what else to do besides to sit frozen in his seat. The damage was done, there was nothing else he could say. Uruha spent the last fifty some years being punished for his mistake. The last thing Ruki wanted to do was remind him. He kept beating himself down, he didn’t notice the footsteps that stopped in front of him.

Uruha knelt to look up at the human. Ruki’s eyes were shut tight, it pained the genie to see him in such distress.

“Hey.” Gently he called out to the waiter and brushed his fingers lightly against his cheeks. 

Ruki’s eyes shot open and found himself face to face with the genie. To his surprise, he didn’t find an ounce of anger on Uruha’s face. His eyes were soft and his face was relaxed. 

“I’m sorry.” A lump formed in his throat. Ruki fought back the sob, and refused to let the tears forming in his eyes to fall. He knew he looked a mess.

“Shhh.” The genie’s slender finger pressed against his quivering lips to shush his apology. “You didn’t mean anything by it.” 

Uruha’s face was inches away making Ruki’s heart speed up. He looked so inncoent, so angelic. The waiter wanted to lean forward and kiss the flawless face of his. But he held himself back; Uruha’s finger was still pressed to his lips.

“Besides, I’m thankful.” It was now Uruha’s turn to blush. “After the horrible thing I did, you’re still able to find it in your heart to love someone like me.”

The sincerity of his voice was enough to bring Ruki out of his stupor.  _ How could Uruha think anything like that? _

“B-because you’re perfect.” Ruki’s voice stuttered. But he spoke with conviction.

“I’m a murderer.” Uruha stated matter-of-factly.

“It was self-defense.”

“I still took a life.” The genie spoke these words with no joy. It irked the waiter. He looked up to the mystical being. He’s lived through so much hardship, so how could he act like he was nothing? He always spoke like Ruki was the better man.

“You’re perfect, goddammit. Stop saying those things.” The small blonde almost shouted these words. He would never let anyone talk down on Uruha, not even the genie himself. He was fascinating and deserved happiness after what happened to him. Ruki felt the tears finally fall. 

Uruha moved his finger to wipe at the stains on his cheeks. His hand was soft and cradled the waiter’s face in a delicate manner. Ruki closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation the genie’s touch created along his skin. He was warm and comfortable. He felt like he could stay like this forever.

When he opened his eyes, Uruha closed the gap between them. His plump lips pressed against his with tender care. Ruki leaned into the kiss, closing his eyes once again. The genie’s lips were so soft and warm. In his presence, the waiter was completely at ease. The genie knew how to make him feel loved.

Uruha pulled away, a dusting of pink on his cheeks and a shy smile upturning his mouth.

“It’s a wonder how I came to deserve someone like you.” The genie whispered and pressed their foreheads together.

It was too much, Ruki couldn’t stand it. He lurched forward and captured Uruha’s lips once again. He wasn’t as delicate as the genie. Ruki kissed him with more ferocity. Roughly, the waiter smooched the genie, gliding his lips over Uruha’s with heated breaths. He snuck his tongue out and lightly licked at Uruha’s bottom lip. The genie hummed in approval and parted his mouth to allow him access.

The two became warm and flushed as they panted for air. Ruki leaned closer and closer into Uruha, that eventually he shifted out of the chair and onto the genie’s lap. His arms wrapped around Uruha’s neck and ran his fingers through his blonde locks. The genie secured the waiter by resting his hand on Ruki’s lower back and his other gripped his thigh. Their chests were pressed  against each other, hearts rhythmically beating together. 

As they made out, Ruki’s mind focused on the sensations he was receiving from the genie. They filled the air with sounds of their panting and wet, smacking lips. Ruki inhaled the scent that was purley Uruha; he couldn’t distinguish what it was. Uruha’s entire aura was mystical and otherworldly, which made sense to Ruki. 

The genie’s hand moved upwards and grabbed a handful of Ruki’s ass. The waiter moaned into the kiss as he felt the firm grip push him closer into Uruha. Every movement of the genie’s hands and the taste of his lips was causing the blonde to lose his mind. Arousal flooded his system and he felt his excitement shoot south. 

Uruha felt a hardness poke at his stomach and pulled away from the kiss, hearing the whine from the human. He smirked as he looked down to see a noticeable bulge at the front of Ruki’s pants. 

Ruki’s mind was so far gone, he wanted to stammer out an apology. But all he could manage was unintelligible moans and whines. The genie chuckled and pulled him into another kiss. Uruha nipped at the waiter’s lips, running the plump flesh between his teeth.

The waiter couldn’t think straight, and he found that he didn’t care. He was becoming lost in the moment and started to rock his hips along Uruha’s thighs. His clothed erection was grinding against the genie’s crotch, soon arousing it. 

Uruha moved down Ruki’s jaw and neck, biting and kissing at the smooth skin. The waiter threw his head back to allow easier access to his sensitive throat. His eyes fell closed and his mouth hung open, releasing content sighs and groans. 

While Uruha lavished his adam’s apple, Ruki felt a light caress to his skin. Wisps danced along his arms and cheeks. He kept his eyes shut to focus on the sensations Uruha was giving him, but the light tickling feeling along his skin persisted. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he couldn’t find it in him to care. It felt good combined with the genie’s ministrations on his neck. He continued the movement of his hips; grinding against Uruha’s growing erection with his own. 

Soon the tickling tendrils that danced along his body was replaced by something soft pushing against his back. He felt a shift in their positions as Uruha was now on top of him. He opened his eyes at last and looked around to see he was in his bedroom.

“Wait, wha…” He panted in confusion. His voice was hoarse and shallow as he looked around the all too familiar room. Everything was where he left it this morning, his chest of drawers were hanging open, clothes messily hanging out from his frantic movements after the call from Kai.

Uruha noticed his lover’s squirming and pulled away from Ruki’s neck to look him in the eyes. His face was flushed and his eyes were hooded and filled with affection.

“If I did what I am about to do to you at Kaya’s bar, he might be mad.” Uruha’s voice was husky and low as he spoke. His breath caressing the shell of Ruki’s ears causing him to shiver.

“What you’re about to do to me?” The waiter echoed making Uruha chuckle.

“Yeah, besides these types of things are traditionally done in the bedroom, and not the floor of some bar.” His voice was so seductive, Ruki swore he could listen to it for hours. 

The genie pressed his lips to Ruki’s clavicle and left wet, open mouthed kisses along the creamy skin. His hands began to roam and explore the waiter’s body. He snaked one hand under Ruki’s shirt and traced his fingers over the warm skin underneath. He stopped at his chest and circled his thumb over his nipple, rubbing at the bud to produce purring sounds from the waiter.

Ruki’s hands were not idle either. He ran them along Uruha’s back, under his oversized sweater that hung low between them. Ruki had a full view of the genie’s flat chest that was covered by a black tank top. The waiter ran his fingers up his lover’s back, pushing the fabric with him so he could reveal the silky skin beneath.

Uruha smiled as he continued his kissing along his lover’s skin. He chuckled deep in his throat when he noticed Ruki’s insistancy in removing his shirt. 

As the waiter’s fingers raked up the genie’s back, the shirt disappeared. Within an instant, a topless Uruha was hovering over the small blonde. Ruki blinked in surprise. His mouth hung open, but all he could to was gasp as the genie’s fingers pinched at his nipple. 

“I thought I’d save you the time, and just remove it myself.” Uruha chuckled at the adorable surprise on the waiter’s face.

Ruki smiled, and they continued exploring each other’s bodies. Uruha magically removing each article of clothing the more they pushed or tugged at them. Soon the genie’s naked form was resting on top of Ruki’s. Sweat clinging to their skin as they grinded against each other, creating a sensational friction between them.

Ruki writhed and moaned under the mystical being. He was enjoying the tender care he was receiving. But he couldn’t silence the urge for more. The genie kept kissing along his skin, but he wanted to feel those lips somewhere more sensitive.

“Uru…” Ruki panted. He moved one hand and gripped above the genie’s elbow. His face heated up, for he didn’t know how to say it. He watched, his eyes glazing over as Uruha lifted his head to look at him curiously.

“Can you...I want….lower…” Ruki’s words were a jumbled mess. His mind was too far gone for him to make sense of what he was trying to say. He grinded his hips upwards, furiously. 

But Uruha caught on. He smiled as he nodded in understanding. Ruki was his master, what kind of genie would he be if he couldn’t satisfy his wish?

The slender being kissed a line down the waiter’s chest and along his stomach. Uruha kissed along Ruki’s hips, teasing him by avoiding his erection. He ran his lips along Ruki’s thighs, causing a whimper to tremble past the waiter’s mouth. 

Finally, Uruha decided he tortured his lover enough. He peppered soft, feather-like kisses from Ruki’s inner thigh, over his balls, and up along his shaft. The touch made the human curl his toes. His fingers clutched at the bed sheets as Uruha finally brought his arousal into his mouth.

The genie started slowly, relishing the pleasured sounds from Ruki and the way his hips twitched upwards as Uruha swirled his tongue over a sensitive area. While he bobbed his head and ran his tongue along the waiter’s shaft, Ruki’s eyes fell shut.

He focused on all the sensations. Uruha’s warm mouth was heaven to his aching arousal. His back arched when he felt a tingling sensation along his chest, rubbing over his nipples. Soon the feeling travelled all along his body. It took him a moment to realize both of Uruha’s hands were caressing his thighs and gripping his hips. Then whose hands were caressing his skin?

Shooting his eyes open, he felt a gasp get lodged in his throat. There was no one else in the room. It was just him and his genie. 

He looked down at his naked body. He didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary at first. But he strained his eyes and saw the faint glimmer of sparkles in the air, right where he felt the invisible touches. He saw a smug look on Uruha’s face as they made eye contact.

“Are you…..using magic?” Ruki struggled to breathe out, supporting himself on his elbows.

As an answer, the glimmers grew brighter and more noticable. The entire room was illuminated, the sparkles shining like stars above them. The waiter’s head fell back against his pillow with a pleasured sigh.

It was romantic. He wasn’t fond of lovey-dovey things, they were always too cheesy for him. But right now, with Uruha, he was breathless at the beauty of it. He had the entire night sky right above him while in his bed. It was so touching.

Uruha dipped his tongue along the slit, and tasted precum. The genie sped up his actions, causing more whines and moans to resonate through the room. He was so focused on Ruki’s pleasure, he ignored his own. He wanted to show the human that he meant every word he said at Taboo. Ruki was special to him, and he wanted to prove it.

But no sooner when he sped up did Ruki’s hands rest in Uruha’s hair and gently pry him off his member.

“Wait….” The waiter’s voice was gruff as he panted. He spoke between breaths. “More. I want you….all of you.”

Ruki’s entire upper body was a deep shade of crimson. He was blushing from his ears all the way down to his chest. He kept his eyes focused on the genie, even though he had the urge to pull his gaze away.

But Uruha felt his heart swell at the sight. The human he so admired wanted to be closer to him. He smiled and leaned forward to capture Ruki’s bruised lips with his own. As he kissed him, he still caressed every expanse of bare skin he could with his invisible touches.

With his own, real hand, he ran a long finger down the short blonde’s stomach and over his thigh. With a slow, agonizing pace, his finger finally found its target. He lightly tapped at Ruki’s entrance. The sensitive spot radiated with heat. 

“Lube is in…”  Ruki began to direct Uruha to the drawer in his room where he kept the bottle. But he was silenced by a rough kiss from the genie. 

Without another word, the slender man’s finger pushed past the ring of muscle. He allowed the waiter to adjust as he patiently went down to his second knuckle. Ruki gasped, but was surprised it didn’t hurt as much as he expected. He then noticed the cold liquid running along his entrance and down his cleft. 

“I don’t want to leave you alone for a second.” Uruha whispered against his ear, his breath pushing strands of hair.

He couldn’t help, but laugh to himself internally. His genie had just magically lubed him up. The entire notion to him was a bit ridiculous. He never used Uruha’s magic before. And now, of all times, he was experiencing it. He was ashamed he was using it in such a distasteful manner. But the invisible touches and Uruha pushing a second finger into him had him forgetting all of that and just enjoying the moment for what it was.

The genie moved his fingers in a scissoring motion, pulling them out and pushing back in. He continued to thrust and hook his digit until he found the spot that made Ruki cry out. The waiter arched his back as the genie expertly aimed his fingers deep inside him.

The shorter man whimpered when Uruha withdrew his fingers after causing him to go to the edge. But soon he felt the presence of something bigger poking at his entrance. He tried to grind his hips so he could feel it inside of him. 

“Are you sure you want this?” The genie paused and looked up at Ruki. Giving him one more chance to vocalize any opposition.

Ruki smiled.

“I have never been more sure in my life.” And he wasn’t lying. He knew that no matter what happened, he would not regret this decision. He felt such unconditional affection towards the mystical being. He  _ needed _ this. 

With that affirmation, Uruha gently pushed forward. His member sliding in, already slick and coated. Ruki’s wall clenching around him, adjusting to him. They both panted loudly as Uruha buried himself in his master’s heat.

The genie gave Ruki time to adjust as he was buried to the hilt. Once the waiter’s expression softened, he started to grind his hips in slow, circular motions. Pulling out and pushing back in. Slow and sensual. All the while, he still caressed Ruki’s body with his magical touches.

Uruha reached out for the waiter’s hand, that rested by his head, and intertwined their fingers. The gesture was so warm and soft, Ruki’s heart almost leapt out of his chest.

He had sex before. Every date he’d ever been on ended up the same way. But this time, everything was different. He wasn’t focusing on someone else’s pleasure. This time, Ruki was the one receiving the attention. It took a bit for him to adjust, but he was feeling so damn good that he couldn’t find any reason to care. 

Uruha was slow and gentle, making it last longer. Their hearts rhythmically pulsating in sync. Ruki never knew sex could feel like this. He was craving every ounce of Uruha. The taste of his sweat slicked skin. The warmth of his hands. The sounds of his grunts against his ear. It was all so magical. (No pun intended.)

It wasn’t until they both reached their climax and laid on the waiter’s bed in a mess of tangled legs and arms did he realize what was different.

Him and Uruha didn’t just have sex. They made love. And it was the most beautiful experience he ever had. As he cuddled up to his taller lover, he smiled at the comfort he felt and dozed off. 

This date was going to be a hard one to top.

* * *

 

Shou was patient.

He continued his days like nothing had changed. He went to work, talked and joked with his coworkers. Though his relationship with Kai was slightly strained. He was admittedly apprehensive around the cook; Reita was some sort of magical being. Shou did not want to push his luck with him any further. 

But true to his word, he told no one about it.

As for Ruki, well, Shou had a hard time looking at him. Everytime the little blonde would get close to him, he came up with some sort of excuse and walk away. He knew it wasn’t the most mature thing he could do, but he was having a hard time dealing with his emotions. He couldn’t look at the waiter’s adorable face and warn him about Uruha. He figured that would cause a fight between them; there were still ripples in their relationship from the last one.

So in order to avoid all that, he stayed back and silently watched. And he paid attention to every little detail he could. From a distance, he could tell something was off about Ruki. Whenever he did approach Shou, the small blonde was always fidgety and had a shaky voice. And he never approached him when they were on the dinning floor, always when they were secluded. Shou found that odd, but he ignored it and focused all his attention on Uruha. 

He noticed Ruki always walking home with Uruha more. The tall blonde would wait in the alleyway until the end of the waiter’s shift and stroll by his side towards their shared apartment. Shou knew it was only a matter of time before he stole Ruki from him. 

But he maintained his patience. No use flipping out if his worries seemed irrational with no proof. 

It had been well over a week since Kai answered his question. And Shou figured today would be it, he was going to confront Uruha.

The dining room was clearing out, but the tables were a mess. The customers today were real slobs. Ruki and Nao were the only two on the wait staff, so they were kept busy. No doubt they had to stay extra in order to get the mess cleaned up. It was the perfect time for Shou.

Discreetly, the brunette walked over to the ever cheerful Nao. The pink haired waiter was wiping down a booth with a damp cloth when he turned around and greeted Shou with a bright smile.

“What a mess, eh?” Nao picked a discarded straw off the floor.

“Yeah.” Shou placed his hands in his pockets. “Can I ask you to watch the front? I need to head out for a smoke.”

“Sure, no problem.” Nao shrugged and finished cleaning the booth.

_ That was easy enough. _

Shou thanked him and headed back towards the kitchen. There he found Tora scrubbing away, suds clinging to his tattooed arms. Kai was beside him trying to help decrease the pile that kept growing every time he turned his back. Neither of them paid any mind to the brunette leaving out the side door.

Once outside, his target leaning against the wall, his hands folded behind his back. Shou knew Uruha would be there. He was wearing the same purple outfit he always wore, which rose so many questions in Shou’s mind.  _ Didn’t he have anything else to wear? _

Uruha turned his head upon hearing the door opening beside him. His smile fell at bit when he noticed it wasn’t the man he was expecting. He still bowed his head politely and greeted the brunette.

“Hey Uruha.” Shou patted around in his pockets until he found his pack of cigarettes. “Waiting for Ruki?”

“Yeah.” Uruha kept his voice light and friendly.

“You two have been pretty close as of late.” Shou looked away and pulled a stick out of his pack. He pressed it to his lips and started to fiddle with his pockets for his lighter.

“I guess.” The blonde shrugged his shoulder. His lack of emotion irked Shou.

“He’s wonderful, isn’t he?” The waiter lit his cigarette. He looked down the alleyway, reminiscing about happier memories. “When he smiles, it seems like the entire room lights up. He doesn’t do it often, so when he does it feels special.”

Uruha stayed quiet. He didn’t know how he was suppose to respond or where Shou was going with this. He watched as the smile that was on the brunette’s face purse into a firm frown. He exhaled a plume of smoke before he spoke again.

“He’s also very stubborn. When he has his mind set on something, he’ll do it one way or another.” Shou finally turned to look at him. His expression was unreadable. 

But Uruha didn’t like it. He just insulted Ruki. The genie could not stand for that. If this man truly loved the blonde, he wouldn’t say such things.

“I wouldn’t say ‘stubborn.’ More like diligent.” The genie giggled, trying to keep the mood light. 

“You love him.”

“Pardon?” Uruha craned his neck towards the human. Shou spoke so low, if a car would’ve drove by he’d have missed it.

“Don’t play dumb. I know you’re trying to steal him away from me. Kai and Reita told me so.”

“I’m not stealing anyone.” Uruha did not fall victim to the anger inside of him. On the outside, he remained calm and collected.

“Yes you are! Ruki is mine.” The brunette shouted. His voice bounced off the brick walls surrounding them. He flicked his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. It did little to calm his nerves now.

“Ruki, is not an item that can be owned. He is a human being capable of his own decisions.” The genie’s voice dipped, his tone hesitant. Almost as if he was warning the human.

“So you aren’t even denying it!” Shou stepped closer. He was within punching distance to the blonde. His hands were already balled into fists. A tidal wave of anger and jealousy was tensing the waiter’s muscles.

Uruha opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the door beside them swinging open.

“Hey! Whoa…..” Tora’s angry face quickly fell to a calmer one once he recognized the figures outside. “Sorry Shou, I thought those damned strays were fighting out here again.” 

He casually dried his hands on his apron. The soap subs clinging to the fabric before popping away. He looked at Shou, not even cracking a smile. He had a good bit of work to still get done.

“Some customers just walked in, maybe you should head back inside. Nao still needs to clean the tables.” Shou nodded and slide past the tattooed dishwasher. Tora still stood in the doorway, eyeing the genie. Uruha made no movement, he stood where he had been waiting earlier before the interruption.

“Hey Uruha, you waiting for Ruki?” Tora called to the blonde. The corners of his lips cracked, showing the faintest hints of a smile. “Why don’t you come in the kitchen here and wait? It’ll be warmer.”

“That’s alright. I don’t want to get in the way. He’s done soon so I’ll stay here.” Uruha did not want to cause anymore drama. He figured it’d be better if he stayed out of everyone’s way. 

Tora nodded his head and disappeared behind the door again, leaving Uruha by himself.

Shou grumbled as he excused Nao from his podium. He had a hard time keeping his calm as he greeted the customers and walked them to a clean table. From the corner of his eyes he watched Ruki. The blonde smiled brightly when Hiroto entered the dining area to relieve him for the evening. 

Shou scowled. He hurriedly finished his speech with the customers and referred them to Hiroto. He had another half-hour left to his shift, but Shou decided to cut out early. He scurried over to Nao; the pink haired waiter just finished wiping down the last table. Shou told him to cover the front once again, he had to head home. Nao wasn’t thrilled with it, but he couldn’t complain. Shou was the co-owner of Planet Nine; he was practically the boss.

The brunette hurried back through the kitchen to get his coat. He was out the side door before Kai or Tora could say a word to him. 

Outside, Shou looked around to see if he could spot the pair of blondes. Much do his dismay, he didn’t see them. He wasn't sure what he was hoping for. He wanted to expose Uruha to Ruki. He wanted his boyfriend to shoot down whatever affections the mysterious blonde had for him. He was Shou’s boyfriend, not Uruha’s. 

Shou decided to run in the direction to Ruki’s apartment in hopes of catching up to them. He assumed that’s where they were going. He needed to assert his dominance in this situation. He wasn’t ready to let Ruki get stolen from him.

Though Shou’s  jealousy was blinding him to the reality that he already lost Ruki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 😅 So it's been a crazy couple of weeks. I'm sorry this took so long to post. Life is wild. But I thanky you for your continued support. It means so much to me, I can never thank you guys enough. I'll try to update again before too long. 💕


	23. It's Done

Uruha felt at ease having Ruki walk by his side. He enjoyed the small man’s presence. He listened while the waiter talked about anything and everything. He just enjoyed hearing the human’s deep voice. 

“Tora and Nao are an item now. I wasn’t expecting it, but Kai told me. So be careful if you decide to pick on Nao. You might end up with a fist in the face.” Ruki giggled as he gossiped about work. 

The small blonde was radiant. He projected a much calmer and joyous aura since Uruha’s return. The genie noticed it right away. He felt a sense of pride about it. Like they were finally comfortable around each other.

Uruha smiled and laughed along with the human. But in the back of his mind, he was reminded of his conversation with Shou.

The brunette was furious. If Tora hadn’t interrupted them, he wondered what Shou would’ve done. He didn’t want to argue with him because he was right. Uruha loved Ruki. There was no sense in lying about it. The human did have a right to be angry. But they way Shou spoke of Ruki, rubbed Uruha the wrong way. 

The small blonde was a beautiful man. He was fiercely independent and strong-willed. He was smart and funny and overall charming. But Shou spoke like he was a prize, an object that was solely his. As if Ruki’s own thoughts and feelings played no role in the equation.

“Uruha.”

The petite waiter’s voice brought the genie out of his thoughts and back into reality. He looked around and noticed they were standing right outside their apartment building. 

“Is everything alright? You’ve been kind of quiet.” Ruki’s brows creased in concern and the corners of his lips turned downwards. They were standing at the door, and the waiter hesitated in opening it.

“I was just thinking.” Uruha shrugged and looked down at his lover. His heart felt heavy when he saw the human frowning. 

“About?”

“Let’s talk inside.” The genie offered a small smile and went ahead and opened the door, urging the waiter inside. He looked around before following Ruki inside. He just had the strange feeling someone was following them. They needed to talk, and Uruha was being cautious of any listening ears.

Once they were safely in their living room, Ruki sat on the couch with his legs crossed. His fingers were tapping nervously against the armrest as he waited for Uruha to speak. The whole situation felt ominous to him.

The genie sat beside him and leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees. His hands were folded as he tried to voice his concerns. He didn’t want to make Ruki upset, the petite man can get temperamental if you say the wrong thing. 

The silence was suffocating. Ruki grew uncomfortable and shifted in his seat.

“Uruha,” The waiter was the first to speak. “You can talk to me. What’s bothering you.”

He ran his hand along the genie’s upper arm in an effort to comfort his lover.

“Shou talked to me while I was waiting for you.” Uruha confessed. His voice was flat as he stared at the floor in front of him.

“Oh.” Ruki was not expecting that. The conversation quickly turned unfavorable for him as he shifted in his seat once again. He did not want to think about his boyfriend. They had grown apart, and the relationship was hanging by a thread. 

“He was angry. You need to end things before they get out of hand.” Uruha lectured the small human. He turned and looked him in the eyes, a hint of insecurity on his face as he tried to keep himself reserved. 

“I know. But I can’t get him alone long enough to tell him. He just walks away from me.” Ruki whined. He felt like grabbing fistfuls of his hair and ripping it out. The whole situation frustrated him. He wanted to end things with Shou, desperately. But the mood was never right. He’s never had to break up with someone before, how did other people do it? 

He looked and saw the hurt expression on Uruha’s angelic face. He never realized how his actions had affected the genie. He knew he was hurting Shou, but didn’t realize how Uruha would feel. Of course the genie was upset, he was still technically with another man. Even though he didn’t speak or touch Shou, the idea was still there.  

“Listen Uru, I love you. Not him. I need you to know that.” Ruki wrapped his arms around Uruha, embracing him in a hug. He placed a soft kiss to the genie’s jaw to try and reassure him that his words were true.

“ _ He _ needs to know that.” The genie’s voice shook. 

Ruki hated this. Of all the people in the world, he never wanted to cause any distress to Uruha. He had to swallow his fears and be strong. It was natural to be scared. But once he overcomes it, his and Uruha’s relationship can blossom.

“You’re right. I’ve been a coward.” The waiter admitted. He was done making excuses. He had to see Shou face-to-face and come clean. “I’ll call him and ask to meet somewhere. That way I can finally get this off my chest.”

They sat in place, Ruki still rubbing his palm along Uruha’s bicep in a loving manner. The mood around them grew lighter. It was like the topic had always been avoided and weighed them down without even knowing it. They felt closer.

“I have to do this. Actions speak louder than words.” Ruki sighed under his breath. He had to mentally prepare himself to contact his soon-to-be ex-boyfriend.

“I never thought you’d be one for cliches.” The slender blonde snorted.

“Shut up, dork. I’m trying to be serious.” Ruki giggled and slapped at the genie’s arms.

Both blondes laughed as they wrestled on the couch. Ruki slapping at Uruha playfully while the genie tried to grab his hands and stop him. Their laughter bounced off the walls and filled their ears. They were so loud they almost missed the knock on the door.

They stopped and looked at their entranceway. Another knock followed immediately. Both men looked at each other, furrowed brows as neither of them expected company. Before either of them could say anything, another knock assaulted the wood. Whoever was on the other side was impatient.

“Alright, calm down.” Ruki stood up and shouted. Though the visitor didn’t hear him as they knocked again. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” The waiter’s nerves were shot as he grew increasingly angry at the loud noise. He hurried and turned the knob and swung the door open to cease the infernal racket. 

On the other side, Shou stood with his hand raised to tap his knuckles against the door for the billionth time. His face was tinted red and his chest heaved up and down as if he was out of breath. Sweat made his brunette bangs stick to his forehead. He was still in his work clothes which told Ruki the man was fresh from the restaurant.

The blonde wondered why he’d be out of breath. He has a car, so he would’ve drove here. But from the looks of him, he must’ve ran here. But why would he do that? Ruki pieced everything together and came to one realization.

_ He followed us. _

Ruki was offended.

“Hey Ru, can I come in?” Shou’s voice was raspy as he panted. The blonde nodded, not dignifying the question with a verbal response. He was biting his tongue and organizing his thoughts. 

This was unexpected. He was angry, scared, and a little bit relieved. He was upset that Shou followed him here, it spoke volumes about his distrust of Uruha and himself. He was frightened, because he knew he had to break up with him. And that was going to be messy. But he had just worked his courage up to do so, and having Shou here in person provided him the opportunity so he can get it over with. 

Shou stepped over the threshold and looked around. This was the first time he’s ever step foot in Ruki’s apartment. He noticed how small it was. Some walls were made of brick, making it look unfinished and dingy. He had a clear view of the entire layout from the doorway. He realized now why they always spent date nights at his apartment. If this is where Ruki lives, no wonder he felt insecure around Shou.

The brunette saw Uruha sitting on the couch. The blonde was rigid in his posture and eyed the two humans cautiously. Shou felt his anger bubble in the pit of his stomach upon the sight of the tall man.

“Can we talk somewhere, private?” He reached forward and gripped Ruki’s hand rather forcefully. The waiter winced, but still held his tongue. He nodded once again and led Shou to his bedroom. 

It was just as small as the rest of the apartment. Shou looked around and saw the chest of drawers, clothes hanging out and accessories scattered along the top. The brunette was a bit surprised by the mess. He always assumed Ruki was a neat-freak. He turned and saw the bed, it took up most of the space. The pillows were turned and overlapping and the comforter and sheets were a jumbled mess. Shou felt a bile form in his throat as he imagined Uruha and Ruki rolling around on the mattress. He didn’t want to believe it, maybe it was his own jealousy getting the better of him. He shook the thought away. 

_ Ruki is mine. Not Uruha’s. _

Shou looked at his boyfriend. The small man tilted his head and eyed him with a fiery gaze. He noticed the brunette’s scrutinizing gaze of his home. He was irritating Ruki more and more by the minute.

“I….I need to talk to you.” Shou stuttered and averted his gaze. He felt a twinge of anxiety cling to his chest.

“Then talk.” Malice dripped from Ruki’s steady voice. 

“Listen, I don’t mean to upset you.” Shou tried to calm the storm inside his boyfriend. 

“Then you better say what you have to before you do.” The blonde crossed his arms. Shou curled his hands into fist. He needed to rekindle the fire he felt earlier chasing after the two blondes. 

“I don’t trust Uruha.” The restaurant owner spoke clearly. He had to stay true to his convictions.  “I think he’s trying to steal you from me.”

Ruki didn’t respond. He kept his arms crossed and shifted his weight to one foot, looking rather impatient with his body language. Shou spoke quickly to get all his points across.

“I know he likes you Ruki. He loves you, yet you keep him so close to you. He’s bound to put the moves on you. Just be careful.”

Shou felt his breathing grow heavy after saying everything in a single breath. He wanted to convince his boyfriend about the dangers of Uruha. He needed to warn him about the tall man and his true feelings. He had to protect Ruki.

“Is that everything?” The small waiter’s voice was tired but full of attitude.

“I spoke to Reita and Kai. They told me about him and his infatuation.” Shou’s admission shocked Ruki. His best friends would not sell him out like that. Ruki was sure Reita would start a war before he’d throw Uruha under a bus like that. There was just something that didn’t sit right with the blonde waiter.

“Also, I promised I wouldn’t say anything. But please, watch yourself around Reita. I don’t know what Kai has all told you and I won’t fall back on my word to him. But I just want you to stay away from them for the time being. Please, just for a little bit.” The brunette begged. He looked like he was about to get down on his hands and knees to plead with the shorter man.

A light bulb went off in Ruki’s mind. He couldn’t be sure what transpired between his boyfriend and Reita. But he could make a few assumptions based Shou’s current demands. It just added to the fire that was already burning inside of him. 

“Alright. Now it’s my turn to talk.” Ruki was tired of hearing all of this. The guilt he felt for his infidelity was miniscule to the pure rage he felt towards the man in front of him right now. Shou was not the man he originally thought he was. If he would’ve known he had such arrogance about him he would’ve never dated him.

“You follow me home, blame Uruha for our problems, and tell me to avoid my friends because you say so. What were you expecting?” His words dripped with venom and stung Shou’s pride. He twisted all of the brunette’s words against him.

“Ruki, I know we have been drifting for the past couple weeks. I’m sorry. But I only want to look out for you.” The brunette placed his hands on the shorter’s shoulders. Desperately, he wanted Ruki to see things his way. 

“Is that what  _ I _ wanted. Have I ever told you that I wanted you to protect me?” A scowl plasters the smaller man’s face. “I am not some sob-story-Cinderella that you need to raise out of a gutter. I’m not your trophy, I am capable of handling myself.”

Shou pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. “I thought we were done fighting about this?”

He sighed in exasperation. This evening was not going how he planned. He kept telling himself he only had Ruki’s best interests in mind. Yet, here they were, arguing over the same issues they fought about before.

“You keep speaking about what everyone else around us is doing, have you ever took a moment to think about our relationship? Maybe the problem wasn’t outside of it.” The blonde’s voice quivered and his figure visibly shook. His eyes threatened to spill over the tears collecting in the corners. His body no longer stood in a powerful stance, instead he now seems rather submissive and passive. His arms were uncrossed and laid flat against his sides, hands clenched into fists.

“What are you saying?” Shou’s eyes grew dark, his tone dripping low. Cautiously watching his boyfriend. 

“You keep saying Uruha loves me.” Ruki sniffled. He needed to remain strong, so he powered through his tears. “Have you ever thought for a moment, that I might love him?”

Ruki’s words felt like a slap across his face. It resonated throughout his head, causing a dull headache to form in the base of his skull. 

“You’re lying.” No way could Ruki be telling the truth. Shou was Ruki’s boyfriend, so by default he was the one the petite waiter loved. 

“I’m not. I cheated on you with him.” The blonde sobbed. Tears finally falling down his face. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you sooner. But I didn’t have the courage to until now.”

The dynamic of Shou’s world was turned completely around. He stood, stunned as he tried to regain himself. The man he thought was his love, was unfaithful. Of course, the first thoughts he had was of Uruha. He was to blame. His fears were confirmed, and the tall blonde had already stolen Ruki from him.

“I’ll kill him.” Shou growled and made his way to the bedroom door. But Ruki grabbed a hold of his arm and yanked him back.

“Shou! He didn’t do anything. I provoked it. I lied to you. I’m the one to blame for this entire fucking mess!” The small waiter’s voice cracked as he sniffled through his words. 

Shou didn’t struggle and allowed Ruki to tug him back into the room. He stood in place, his arms limp at his sides and his knees felt like they were ready to give way. He was in a daze and numbly stared at the door in front of him, his back turned towards Ruki. The small blonde sobbed softly. His tears ran down his face and a small squeak escaped his mouth between sniffles.

“So, what do we do now?” The brunette didn’t realize he voiced his thought aloud. He was at a complete lose as what to do. Was there anyway for them to reconcile?

“Isn’t it obvious? We were never a good match for each other.” The blonde spat out, anger filled his voice as he wiped at his eyes.

Shou whipped his head around and stared at his small boyfriend. The blonde was glaring daggers at him. Why? He didn’t do anything wrong. He’s not the one who cheated and fell in love with another man. He’s done nothing untowards to Ruki. He was a good guy, dammit.

The brunette felt his hands tighten into fist at the anger that swelled inside of him. 

Why was he being treated like the bad guy? Uruha stole Ruki from him. The blonde even admitted it. He was hurting and it was all Uruha’s fault. Shou chewed at his bottom lip and stomped out of the room. He ignored the shorter waiter calling his name.

He jolted through the small hallway and charged towards the living room. Uruha was just getting off the couch when Shou ran towards him. Lunging forward he raised his fist and swung at the tall blonde. He made contact with the genie’s cheek and sent him falling back down on the couch.

Ruki squealed in horror, having followed Shou out of his bedroom. 

The brunette felt a surge of satisfaction run through him. He landed a blow on his nemesis. He watched as the slender man cupped the side of his face with his hands. Shou towered over him, smiling at the power he had at the moment. It was twisted, but the fact that he was able to cause pain brought him joy. Afterall, Uruha was the cause of his current anguish. So in a way, this was karma. 

Shou exhaled, and raised his hand again. This time he slapped Uruha across the face, striking his other cheek. The slender blonde was taken by complete surprise. His eyes shot open wide and he gasped at the stinging sensitivity to his skin. Ruki wailed and called his genie’s name, he tried to grab at Shou’s arms to stop him. But Shou easily shrugged him off. 

The brunette waiter was lost. His own jealousy clouded his mind and all he could focus on was his revenge towards Uruha. The taller man arrived unannounced into their lives and ruined everything Shou worked towards. Getting Ruki to date him took him months. Hell, it was one of the main reasons he even worked at Planet Nine. If it weren’t for Ruki, he’d probably just sit at home and let Saga take over. All his hard work meant nothing. Especially not with Uruha in the picture. He felt such contempt towards the startled man. Rage consumed him. He didn’t hear Ruki’s sobs. He didn’t see the anger on Uruha’s face. He only raised his hand to strike him again.

Within seconds, Shou came back down to earth when his spine made contact with the wall opposite Uruha with such force, it knocked the wind out of him.

Shou’s body slumped against the wall, his head falling limp forward as the pain shot through his ribs and numbed the back of his head. He winced as he shifted to sit up and look around him. Golden specks flickered in his peripheral. But they were gone as soon as he noticed them.

Uruha was now standing. Ruki was beside him, clinging onto his arm desperately babbling something to him. The tears were running down his cheeks as he called out his name. Uruha made no movement. He stayed in place looking at Shou with clouded over eyes, and bruising cheeks. His arm was outstretched in front of him, swirls of gold sparkles and purple wisps surrounded his hand.

Shou watched with awestruck eyes as Uruha’s presence mimicked that of Reita’s those few days ago. The tall blonde’s face was twisted into a stern expression. His entire figure was being enveloped by a sheer cloud of purple. Strips of gold floated into the air around his glossed over eyes. The strands of hair that usually fell around his face stood on end and blew in a nonexistent breeze.

Slowly, the magical creature closed the gap between them and towered over a cowering Shou. He did not speak. He only stared down at the mortal, intimidating him.

“What the fuck are you?” Shou’s eyes were wide with fright as he slowly stood up on shaking legs. He pressed his aching back against the wall to steady himself.

“Shou, I...uh…” Ruki’s mouth gaped open like a fish out of water. He looked completely frazzled and just as stunned as the brunette.

“Ruki! Did you know about this?!” An accusational finger was pointed at Ruki. The blonde averted his gaze, staring at his shoes in what looked to be shame.  _ So he knew. _

“What is he? What’s Reita?! What the Hell is going on with you guys!” Shou couldn’t fathom what made Ruki and Kai stand by these scary powerful beings. They were dangerous.

The brunette felt like he had just been dropped into some weird fever dream. His breathing picked up as he tried to piece together what on earth was going on. His lungs couldn’t hold enough oxygen for him and constricted like he was suffocating.

He had to get out of here. Leave before Uruha did something more to harm him. Or call Reita to join. He was already thrown across the living room like a rag doll, he hated to see the full extent of his power.

Shou pushed past Uruha and fumbled with the door knob. He ignored the calling of his name from his now ex-boyfriend and jolted out of the apartment. His legs ached as he nearly stumbled down the rickety staircase. He needed fresh air to regain his senses. Or else his mind was going to burst.

Once he was outside, his legs worked on autopilot and had him walking in some unplanned destination while he hugged his arms around himself. The slight breeze on his skin was welcomed as it calmed his unsettled nerves. He didn’t have enough time to think about his and Ruki’s breakup as his thoughts kept wandering back to Uruha and Reita.

Two men he thought were normal, everyday people. But that was just a disguise. Shou couldn’t figure out what they were in actuality. And why Kai and Ruki were with them. What kind of beings were they? Was his coworkers in danger? And is there anything he should do?

His mind was working overtime and began to cause a dull headache to throb in the back of his skull. Tonight had definitely not turned out the way he was hoping. He lost his boyfriend and stumbled upon some mystical nightmare. The neon sign of the building beside him was bright enough to catch his eye and take him out of his thoughts. 

“Taboo” shined bright in the night sky, like a beacon calling to him. After the way things turned out, Shou shivered and figured he could use a drink to settle his mind.

Walking into the bar, he noticed the lack of customers. Good. He didn’t need to hear anyone else’s drunken rants while he tried to work through his own. He found a comfortable spot at the bar and immediately ordered. He asked for something hard, so he wasn’t sure what the bartender poured for him. It was a dark liquid in the glass so Shou drank it, immediately feeling the alcohol numb his pains.  

After downing countless drinks, he slouched forward and nursed his current beer as his eyes studied the grains of the woodwork to the countertop. He couldn’t remember how many drinks he’s had at the moment. He just desperately tried to forget the night. 

“Hello darling.” A soft voice made the brunette jump and turn to his side. He found a woman dressed in all black sitting beside him. He didn’t notice her before or see her walking near him. It was almost like she appeared out of thin air. Shou stared at here in stunned silence. Her lashes fluttered as she giggled through rose painted lips.

“I believe it is improper to ignore a lady?” The woman’s light chastising made Shou sit up in his seat more. He straightened his back, despite the dull ache.

“Oh, um, sorry. You surprised me. I didn’t notice you there.” The brunette blushed. He had no idea who this woman was, but he felt the need to apologize. 

“Well, I guess I need to work on making more of an impression.” Those red lips of hers quirked into a smile. Here sapphire eyes scrutinized him. Like a predator examining its next prey. “Something seems to be troubling you.”

“Is it that obvious?” Shou snorted.

“Even to the blind. Do you need someone to talk to? Maybe help you get it off your chest.” She folded her lace gloved hands in front of her on the counter. Her eyes still studying the brunette closely.

Shou was never one to open up to strangers. Even with friends, his life wasn’t an open book. But the alcohol he’d been drinking made his tongue loose and had him speaking without thinking. 

“My boyfriend just broke up with me.” The sentence made his shoulders feel lighter and his mind less jumbled.  _ Maybe talking about it really does help. _

“Well that’s unfortunate. Any particular reason why?” The woman’s voice was flat, if there was an ounce of pity Shou missed it. But he was too light headed from his drink to care. He just needed someone to vent to at the moment. And this lady was offering so he decided to let it out.

“He cheated on me.” Shou’s hands clenched into fists. The anger he had made his voice quiver. “That bastard went behind my back and slept with…..someone else.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say Uruha’s name. He didn’t even want to think about the strange blonde. The image of Uruha towering over him with all sorts of smoke and dust floating around him still made his stomach churn.

“Sometimes it’s better to end things before they get worse.” She turned in her seat to face Shou, her shoulders shrugged at her words. 

“Yeah I guess. Though I can’t help but think the guy he’s seeing is trouble.” 

“Ruki is safe. I can assure you.”

Shou smiled at her words. She sounded so sure of herself it did calm some of Shou’s worries. Until he fully recognized what she had just said. He never mentioned his ex’s name.

“Wait! How do you know his name? Do I know you?!” Shou fought through his foggy mind and stared at her. He was sure he didn’t know this woman.

“Not formally, but I recognize you.” She turned her head and pointed at a booth behind Shou. “Over there was where you had your first kiss with Ruki. And that booth over there is where Kai asked Reita out. And that stool there is where I spoke with Uruha after Ruki walked out on him once they were done having sex.”

She turned in her seat and pointed at different locations as she spoke. Shou tried to follow her finger, but was lost by her words alone. 

“You….um…” Intelligible words left him. All Shou could do was babble and slur incomprehensible sounds as he tried to keep up with this mysterious woman. She named dropped his coworkers like it was no big deal. It was like she had been watching his life without him knowing. A chill ran up his spine.

“Oh, you don’t have to be scared of me dear. I’m not that frightening.” The woman laughed heartily and waved her hand in the air. 

Though Shou couldn’t find the humor in the situation. Despite his tipsy state, he knew something was off.

He looked around and noticed the bar was completely empty.  _ Wasn’t there at least some customers earlier? Where did everyone go? _

“You know, I actually feel sorry for you.” Her voice was the only sound he heard. Everything around them was eerily quiet. “You discovered us, despite our disguise.”

“Disguise? Um..I…” Shou stared at her with wide, glossed over eyes. His brain felt like it had just split in two.  _ What the fuck is going on!? _

“Either you are very good at playing dumb, or this is your default state.” The insult rolled off the woman’s tongue as she smirked at him, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Have you ever heard stories of djinns? In arabic mythology, we were known to lead men astray. Others tale accuse us of being vicious and using our master’s words against them causing their untimely deaths.” She examined her fingers as she spoke. Like it was a normal way to continue a conversation.

Shou listened, though each word filled him with dread. He knew of djinns. He always considered genies to be fiction. They made interesting characters in stories and taught the protagonists a lesson. But that’s all they were. Fiction.

“Or how about the stories where we kidnapped women and children? Those are some of my favorites.” A devilish smile crept along her face. She looked beautiful, yet deadly. And that was enough to make Shou run.

He tried to jump off his stool and bolt to the door. But his legs refused to move. It felt like he was wearing cement shoes that kept him weighed down. He tried to move his hips to slide off his chair. But it was like he was glued to his seat. Panic wracked his body as he became aware of his situation. He was a trapped animal, and this woman was the predator. 

“Oh you don’t have to be afraid, I won’t harm you.” She tilted her head and pursed her lips. “Unless you open your mouth about us.”

“I won’t.” Shou said the words without really knowing it. He just wanted to be freed. He was desperate.

“How can I be sure? Reita and Uruha mean a great deal to me.” The woman sucked in a breath and frowned. Her face grew serious. “A few moments ago, I bet you wanted to harm Uruha. You hate him.”

Shou shook in his seat. He couldn’t deny his hatred for the blonde genie. But lying to this woman probably wouldn’t do him any good. He was stuck and all he could do was cower. If his word meant nothing, there was nothing else he could offer.

“If you bring any harm to him or Reita, or any of their loved ones, I will find you.” The woman was now standing. Her black gown fading into the darkness that enveloped around them. It was like the night sky fell on them. Apart from her pale skin, she blended into the background.

“If you speak one word about our kind to anyone, I will find you. And you don’t want me to. You’d sooner wish for death before dealing with me when I am angry.” 

Her voice was low and masculine. Shou wanted to cry out. To shout. But his throat was dry and refused to produce any sound. He couldn’t scream for help. He closed his eyes. It was childish, like when a toddler hides from a monster by scurrying under their bed cover. It provides no real protection, but when you’re desperate you are willing to believe anything. 

Shou shakes his head. He was too scared to test this woman. He did not want to see what she meant by her threats. If all he had to do was keep quiet about Uruha and Reita, he would. He’ll avoid them as best he can.

He felt a strange presence caress his cheeks. It started him and he opened his eyes to find himself outside. He was standing in the alleyway beside Planet Nine. Shou shivered and hugged himself as he pondered if he had just been dreaming. But he almost screamed when he saw slithers of black smoke evaporate near his feet.

Stepping back, he bumped into the brick side of the restaurant. His breathing was erratic as he felt his headache from earlier returning.

_ This can’t be real. I have to be dreaming. I should pinch myself to make sure this is real. _

Shou jumps when he hears the sound of a door opening beside him. All his encounters today made him skittish and easily scared.

Tora was walking outside, a cigarette in hand. His inked up arms were dried of their usual soap subs and his onyx colored hair was pulled back into a small ponytail. His face twisted into a scowl when he took a puff from his cigarette and noticed Shou.

“Tora.” The dishwasher’s name came out as a statement rather than a greeting. Like Shou was convincing himself that the man was standing in front of him. 

“You made Nao cover for you so you could head home. Yet here you stand while he works.” Tora spat at Shou. The brunette flinched at the venom that dripped from the usually quiet dishwasher. 

He felt numb, all the events of today were running into one and he couldn’t quite remember what he’d all done.

“You’ve got some nerve.” Tora shook his head and scoffed.

Tora threw his cigarette to the ground and snuffed it out with his heel. He turned towards the brunette and cracked his knuckles with his other hand. A look of anger on his face.   
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> |ω・）
> 
> ......Hey everyone! So I am sorry this took me so long to update. Certain things popped up and kept me from writing. A family member was in the hospital for a bit, but they are doing fine now. And the moment I was going to upload this my power went out! lol Talk about bad luck. 
> 
> Not sure how much I'm gonna be updating in the next couple weeks cause I gotta get ready for their World Tour. I'm gonna be seeing these dorks live in New York! 😆 So that's got me pretty excited. After that I should be able to get back on a normal schedule and keep this story going.
> 
> Sorry for making excuses, but I am still determined to continue this fic, even if updates are gonna be a bit inconsistent for a bit. So thank you all for still sticking around for this little story of mine. I hope making this chapter a bit longer makes up for the lateness. lol 💕


	24. Some Respite

Ruki grumbled as he rested his head against Kai’s shoulder. His best friend offered him any comfort he could seeing as the blonde looked pretty disheveled when he walked through the door this morning. He explained to the cook about last night, and how Shou followed him home and found out about Uruha’s magic. 

After Ruki broke up with him, his ex-boyfriend stormed out of his room and assaulted Uruha. Though that proved to be a mistake when the genie launched him across the room. The situation frightened Shou so much he bolted out of his apartment. The small blonde waiter barely slept as he worried all night about Shou. He half-expected some sort of government officials to come and knock down his doors in the middle of the night to take Uruha away. He couldn’t trust Shou to keep quiet about the genies now that Ruki broke his heart.

“Everything is going to be okay.” Kai’s fingers carded through the waiter’s blonde hair, massaging his scalp. He closed his eyes and relished the touch. 

“You don’t know that.” 

“No, I don’t. But if I say it enough eventually one of us is going to believe it.” The cook shrugged and offered a caring smile. It helped alleviate some of Ruki’s worries. But the small waiter was still on edge.

Neither spoke any further. They just waited anxiously for the brunette waiter to show up. Shou was scheduled the same time as Ruki. Though the shorter man was slightly relieved he didn’t run into his ex-boyfriend while entering the restaurant. They stood in the kitchen, eyeing the side door for employees.

Everyone but Shou had shown up in time for work. Tora was in the kitchen, arranging the cleaned dishes for when Kai was ready to start cooking. The tattooed man was unusually quiet. He wasn’t normally talkative, but he was especially silent this morning, not casting anyone a single glance. Nao bounced through the door early and full of energy. Even his bright aura didn’t stir Tora from his muteness. 

But Ruki and Kai didn’t pay him too much attention. Their eyes bored into the wooden door, jumping when it finally opened. They felt their hearts leap into their throats and instinctively grabbed each other’s hands.

The sudden surge of fear shifted into confusion and mild surprise when the pair were greeted by the sight of someone else. Instead of the usual brunette, a man with dirty blonde locks laying messily on his head entered. Everyone quickly recognized it as Saga. His jacket and tie were crooked and slightly wrinkled. His chest rose and fell with each breath, as if he had been running. He looked like he had been in a rush this morning. 

But the two friends couldn’t figure out why he was here so early. 

“Saga! What are you doing here!?” Nao leapt forward and embraced their boss in a tight hug. Clearly he was comfortable enough around Saga to ignore any personal space.

“Hey guys. Sorry I didn’t give you enough of a heads up. But I’m gonna be working the front.” Saga spoke in a calm manner between rushed breaths. He shrugged off his jacket and pushed some hair behind his ear.

“But that’s Shou’s position. Where is he?” Nao furrowed his brows as he looked up at his boss.

Ruki and Kai stiffened. The waiter’s innocent question had the two friends sweating nervously. The relief that Shou wouldn’t be there didn’t last as it just led to more uncertainty. They wondered if Shou told their boss anything about their peculiar situation. Would he snitch on Reita and Uruha?

They were too focused on their own problems, they didn’t notice Tora continuing his work without looking up. He ignored the arrival of the boss and still remained silent.

“He’s gonna be taking some time off. Maybe switching over to managing Planet Nine instead.” Saga shrugged and walked towards the back to hang up his jacket and grab a spare apron.

“Oh, is he alright?” Nao pressed his index finger to his chin in wondering. Though his voice served to move Tora out of his stubborn busywork.

“Come on Nao, I’ll help you set the tables.” The onyx haired man grabbed the young waiter’s hand and dragged him out of the kitchen. His words were rushed and his steps quick as they soon disappeared into the dining area leaving Kai and Ruki.

The pair still held hands and stared wide-eyed in front of them. They were trying to register what just happened. Shou might never come back. Should they consider that a good thing?

Saga walked through again, this time in a work uniform and apron. He looked at Kai and Ruki, still unmoving in their spot.

“Ruki.” He made the blonde jump at the call of his name.

“Sir?”

“I’m sorry about what happened between you and Shou. But I want you to know that has nothing to do with me or the restaurant. I hold no grudges towards you.” Saga’s face didn’t hint at any emotions. He spoke calmly and held himself in a professional manner.

“Um...thanks.” Ruki looked down at his hands, pulling free from his and Kai’s grip. He felt his cheeks heating up. It was embarrassing having the boss know about his personal life. He wondered what Shou revealed to him, so he spoke without thinking. “What did he all tell you?”

Ruki wanted to slap himself for prying. It wasn’t any of his business to know.

“He told me you fell for someone else. That much he was clear about. His breath smelt of alcohol I had to get him some mints.” Saga smiled at his attempt at a joke. Straightening his shirt sleeves, he looked unbothered by his employee’s curiosity.

Finally satisfied by his sleeves, Saga looked up at the two workers still standing in the kitchen. He pursed his lips into a firm line and scrunched his eyebrows together. “Though he wouldn’t tell me why he had a black eye.”

This shocked the pair. Neither one of them knew anything about a black eye. Ruki knew Uruha didn’t do it. His genie threw Shou into the wall, never laying a hand on him. Kai looked at his blonde friend, expecting him to provide an answer. But Ruki just licked his lips and stuttered.

“I..uh...I don’t know how he got one. Maybe after he left last night…” His words were mumbled as he stared at the pattern on the floor. 

The silence in the kitchen grew awkward with Saga still looking at Ruki. He wasn’t accusing the waiter of anything, he just waited for him to say anything further. Kai bit the inside of his cheeks as he tried to think of a new topic; the current one causing obvious discomfort for everyone.

“Hey Saga!” The loud shout broke the silence and made all of them jump.

In the doorway, Tora stood with his arms stretched out gripping on the door frame. His tattoos proudly displayed for anyone to see with his sleeves rolled up. Though through all the ink, Ruki thought his right hand looked a bit bruised on the knuckles.

“You better unlock this door before that church crowd breaks the glass.” He pointed in the direction of the front lobby before walking away. 

“Well, let’s get started!” Saga smiled and twirled the keys around his fingers.

Kai patted Ruki on the shoulders as he walked over to the stove and started placing pots and pans on the burners. The blonde took that as his queue to step out into the dining area to prepare for the day. The question still stuck in their minds.  _ How did Shou get a black eye? _

Tora remained nonchalant throughout the day.

* * *

 

“Can we please choose something before the popcorn gets cold?” Ruki sighed as he threw his legs up over the arm of the couch and leaned his back against Uruha’s chest.

After work, Kai invited Uruha and Ruki to come over to his place. After all the stress and mess they’ve been through, he thought maybe they just needed a night to relax and watch TV together. It felt like so long since the two couples spent anytime together. 

Though, with the indecision on what to watch, maybe they should’ve decided on another activity.

“Okay, okay, how about this one?” Kai tried to alleviate his petite friend’s boredom.

“Can we find something else?” Reita reached forward and grabbed a handful of cooling popcorn. 

The one end of the couch was occupied by the two blondes, cuddling and allowing themselves to relax. They were finally able to be open and official about their relationship. After all the mess with Shou, they could finally breathe.

On the other end, Reita sat with his back against the couch and his legs crossed. His arm was rested along the back of the couch behind Kai. His fingers would affectionately play with a small lock of the brunette’s hair when he was facing forward. Kai had the remote in his hand, flipping through his OnDemand to find a movie they could all agree on. He made popcorn and set it on the coffee table in front of them for all to share. However, he hadn’t eaten a bite due to the fact that he was still scrolling through movies for them to watch.

“What? Did you even read the plot?” Kai turned towards his lover. Reita decided against it so fast, he doubted he even paid attention to its premise.

“Yeah, and I don’t like it.” The genie waved his hand, urging Kai to keep scrolling.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“I agree. Let’s look for another one.” Ruki chimed in. His head nestled against Uruha’s flat chest. His blonde hair was sticking out, tickling the exposed collar bone of his genie’s. 

“Are you kidding me?” The cook shook his head. 

“I’m not a fan of science fiction.” His brunette genie defended.

“Yeah, they are all the same.” Ruki and Reita were on the same page.

“Oh my god!” Kai grew frustrated and continued cycling through their selections.

“I thought it sounded cool.” Uruha finally spoke up. His voice was soft and quieter than the two who voted against the sci-fi flick.

“Uru, sweetie, no it doesn’t.” The blonde waiter giggled and lightly stroked his fingers over his lover’s jaw. Ruki’s teasing made the genie purse his lips together in a pout.

“You’d probably lose track of the plot within the first thirty minutes.” Reita chimed in. The two were laughing at the blonde genie. He was an easy target as they giggled aloud.

“Okay, we’ll try something else.” Kai huffed. It was obvious there would be no way to convince the two cackling men to give the movie a chance. He made a mental note to skip over anything that was categorized as science fiction. His thumb was growing sore as he continuously pressed the same button. 

“What about  _ Avatar _ ?” Uruha spoke up again as everyone was growing bored of the scrolling. Of course the moment he mentioned it, everyone let out a loud, audible groan.

“Will you stop talking about that movie?” Reita ran his hand over his face, shaking his head at the mention of the movie.

“Ever since he’s seen it on TV, he’s been obsessed with it.” Ruki lightly pinched Uruha’s nose in a teasing manner. The genie laughed and swatted the petite palm away from his face.

“I’m not obsessed.” Uruha defended himself. But his words lacked any conviction. 

“Hate to tell ya, but you are.” Kai stepped in. His eyes were glued to the television, but his smile showed that he was ready to join in on the teasing. “If you watched it more than three times this month you are obsessed.”

They sat in silence. The only noise being the small boops from the TV as Kai scrolled through their movie options. Ruki looked up and found a serious expression on his lover’s face. Uruha averted his gaze from his friends and looked at some random place on the wall. The small waiter furrowed his brow.

“How many times have you watched it?” 

“Six.” Uruha blushed.

“What!?” Reita shouted. All of them looked at the genie with incredulous eyes. They were only joking about the number of times he watched  _ Avatar _ . But the actual amount of times he’s seen it greatly surprised them.

“There was nothing else on TV and….” Uruha explained meekly. His cheeks were really heating up and he shifted in his seat, rocking Ruki against his chest. He had a shy, hurt expression on his face. It caused the mirth from earlier to quickly die down. His adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed in order to continue. “Well, Ruki was busy all the time so….I needed to do something.”

The sight of the saddened genie had Ruki’s heart aching. The small waiter quickly shifted and turned around so he was kneeling on the couch beside him. He was face to face with him with a concerned look.

“I’ll never be too busy for you ever again.” Ruki ran his hand along Uruha’s thigh in a reassuring manner. All the melancholy the genie felt, the waiter wanted that to go away. He wanted nothing more than to see Uruha smile for the rest of his life. He leaned forward and pressed a small kiss to the plump lips that were pressed into a frown. “Promise”

Uruha’s expression softened as he felt the small peck to his lips. On instinct, he brought his one hand up and rested it on the small of Ruki’s back, to keep him from pulling too far away. He let out a small sigh a pleasure and brought his forehead to rest against Ruki’s. Their noses pressed together as he enjoyed the warmth of his human. The genie believed every word the waiter said. 

Their intimate moment was interrupted by the gagging noise of the other occupants of the couch.

“Bleh, get a room.” Reita scrunched his face up and stuck out his tongue.

“But your living room is a room.” The couple pulled apart, leaving a few inches between their faces, but Uruha still held the smaller man close with his slender hands on Ruki’s back. He spoke to his friend in a deadpanned voice. 

Reita groaned again and threw his hands up in frustration. His reaction causing a loud laugh to come from his human lover. 

“Just stop worrying about them and help me pick a damn movie already!” Kai laughed.

The group of friends continued to bicker and tease one another all the while they never agreed on a movie. Anything Kai liked, Ruki and Reita disagreed with. Ruki wanted a classic horror film, but Kai opposed it, claiming he preferred to sleep without nightmares. And Reita’s choices were all action films that Ruki criticized the plot of. And after the  _ Avatar _ admission, no one listened to Uruha’s suggestions. 

After what felt like an eternity, Kai was finally fed up with trying to make everyone happy. He switched to television shows and put on  _ The Office. _ Everyone shut up then, and just mindlessly rewatched the series. Uruha was the only one who hadn’t seen the episode so he quietly watched as the others laughed and commented. They knew what was gonna happen before it did. 

They all fell into a quiet silence after an hour. The popcorn, though it was cold, was gone. Only kernels were left at the bottom of the bowl. The couples were cuddled together on the couch. Kai’s head was resting on Reita’s shoulder, his hand tracing lazy circles on the genie’s chest. Ruki was sitting in Uruha lap, the genie’s lanky arms wrapped around his midsection, hugging his back to his chest. He’d press a small kiss to the human’s temple every so often; he cherished their relationship so much, he felt the need to express his feelings. Even if it was just through small gestures.

The night dragged on, and the group of friends soon grew tired. The two humans worked that day, and had to return to the restaurant tomorrow for another day of work. Though Ruki had to admit, with Saga there the day went by smoothly. The owner didn’t shy away from work. He stepped in when the dining area became too full for Nao and Ruki to handle alone. He even stayed late to help Tora clean up all the dishes. Ruki felt bad for the way things ended with Shou, but maybe in time they’ll make up and talk to one another again. But he didn’t dare dwell on it. He was with Uruha now, and that’s all that mattered. 

Speaking of which, he swore he heard a small snore from behind his ear.

Ruki shifted in his seat and turned to look at Kai and Reita. The brunette cook had his eyes closed and released small breathes between his parted lips. The genie held him as he slept, watching Kai’s vulnerable state instead of the TV. It was endearing to see Reita fondly care for the human. The two never had any doubts cloud their relationship and that’s something Ruki wished he could say. But he knew him and Uruha had a rocky start, but that just made them grow closer.

He turned around to look at his genie. Uruha’s eyes were shut tight and his head laid limp against the back of the couch. A tiny snore could be heard in the back of his throat and escaping through his lips. He looked so serene, and otherworldly. Every so often, Ruki would have to stop and admire his gorgeousness. Uruha was so unlike anyone he’d ever met, apart from the obvious reasons. He had a natural beauty about him that even penetrated below skin level. The blonde was selfless and kind hearted. He’s been through Hell, yet he still smiled. 

The waiter shook his head, not wanting to think about the genie’s past at the moment.

Yawning, Ruki obnoxiously stretched his arms out and bumped Uruha in the nose; stirring him from his slumber. The genie lazily opened his eyes and released a yawn of his own. He smirked and nuzzled his nose against Ruki’s neck, causing the waiter to quietly giggle.

“Come on you bum. We gotta get home.” The blonde human traced his finger along Uruha’s slender cheek.

“Too tired.” The genie’s words were barely audible as he mumbled them into Ruki’s blonde locks.

“Don’t you miss our bed?”

He had a point. Uruha found their bed more comfortable than the couch they currently occupied. Plus the pillow and sheets smelt of Ruki. It was much more homely and inviting than his friend’s living room aroma which was a faint popcorn smell at the moment.

With a sigh, Uruha flicked one of his fingers and rested it on Ruki’s thigh. The waiter was about to argue another point, but kept silent as the view around them started to blur. Fear had him opening his eyes wide and making his heart race.  _ What was going on?  _

The room around them faded and the colors ran together. It was like he was trying to look out a window through a downpour of rain. The image obscured and distinctive silhouettes blended together to form swirls in front of him. He was reminded of surrealist artworks as he watched it unfold in front of him. 

He was about to cry out to his lover until he saw a speck of something glitter in his peripheral. He turned and saw small shimmers of gold dance around him and his genie. The the view in front of him slowly turned to a smokescreen of purples. Ruki felt all his terror vanish in a second as he comprehended what was going on.

Uruha was using his magic.

The bare skin of his arms tickled as the feeling of something like tendrils caressed him. He looked down to see his own physical form matching the blurred images around him from earlier. He was fading, almost like a spector. He would’ve freaked out; worried that he was disappearing. But this was Uruha and he trusted him. He had complete faith in whatever his genie was doing and felt at ease. 

Soon his entire being felt light, weightless. It didn’t last long as a softness soon cradled him and Uruha. His entire body laying straight, still being cradled in Uruha’s arms. He soon recognized the comfort around him was the same feeling and scent as his own bed. The view around him slowly materialized as the smokescreen thinned. It was dark, no doubt nighttime. But a faint light shone in through a window and he saw the familiar outline of his bedroom. 

Ruki turned to look at his lover. In the dark, he could still see a bit of his sleeping face. The waiter scooted closer into his arms and lightly giggled.

“I take this as a “yes” to my earlier question.”

Uruha grunted and buried his nose into the top of Ruki’s head. His breaths pushed strands of the waiter’s hair forward like a breeze. It was soothing, making the small blonde close his eyes. 

“I love you, Uruha.” He smiled as the words flowed naturally from his mouth. The genie tightened his grip on the petite human and entangled their legs. There was no way they could get any closer while remaining two separate people.

“Love ya too.” Uruha mumbled before falling to sleep. His light snores set an enchanted rhythm for Ruki to fall asleep to. The couple slept soundly, not tossing or turning. They never broke apart from the embrace the entire night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> o(_ _)o
> 
> I know it's been well over a month, and I am so terribly sorry. Apart from seeing the boys live, I've had to deal with two deaths in the family so things have just been hectic. To anyone who is still reading this, I assure you this fic isn't dead. There are still a couple more chapters before the end. Updates might be a bit scattered here and there, but I am continuing to work on it. I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the others 😅 I hope everyone who's stuck through with this fic is still enjoying reading it as much as I am writing it. 
> 
> I'll try to update again soon! Thank you all! 💜


	25. Sickness

Ruki sighed heavily. He was lying in a puddle of his own sweat, yet he was shivering from some unknown cold. The weather outside was beautiful. The sun shone bright, the clouds skipped along a vibrant cerulean sky. It was the perfect day to travel outside and enjoy some fresh air. 

Unfortunate to Ruki, he spent his morning calling Planet Nine to inform them that he was unable to make it to his shift. Some nasty illness was keeping him in bed.

The waiter coughed as the soreness in his throat returned. The tiny pinpricks along his esophagus did little to quell the waves of nausea that prevented him from eating. He groaned as he turned to lay on his side and buried his face in his pillow. He tried to focus on the softness of the bed instead of the aches in his stomach and joints. But to no avail.

Uruha slowly cracked the door so he didn’t cause any loud noises. He watched as his human coughed and whimpered while battling whatever sickness he had. 

The genie offered to help Ruki this morning when the waiter woke up in a cold sweat. But the human refused any kind of magic. All he asked was for Uruha to bring him some medicine from the cabinet above the bathroom sink. After swallowing the two pills, he tucked himself under the comforter and closed his eyes, trying to force sleep.

Uruha didn’t understand. He had magic. Why didn’t Ruki wished to get better?

“It’s just a simple flu, it’ll be gone within a few days.” The petite human mumbled when he refused Uruha’s assistance. So the genie did as he was asked. And he watched helplessly as his human suffered. It hurt to see someone he loved so deeply in pain. 

Ruki tossed to lay on his other side, burying himself further under the comforter and hugging it close to his body for warmth. Uruha bit his lip as he tried to think of something he could do that would help. But all he knew was magic.

The human released another whimper, and it broke Uruha’s heart. He had to think of something. 

He headed towards the kitchen, but tiptoed as to not disturb Ruki. He looked around the small baking area to see if he could come up with some idea. Maybe he could make some soup for Ruki? But he opened the fridge and cupboards and found none, he didn't know the complete layout of the kitchen still. He kept getting the silverware draw mixed up with the knives draw. But with the waiter’s nausea, Uruha figured maybe food wasn’t the best option at the moment. He looked around some more until his eyes fell on the discarded cell phone in the middle of the small table. 

_ Kai. _

Without another thought, Uruha picked up Ruki’s cellphone and scrolled through his contacts until he dialed Kai’s number. The cook was a human. He’d know of a way to help Uruha.

He listened to the ring on the other end. Each second making his heart speed up as he waited for an answer. Uruha licked his lips as he waited. And waited. And waited.

_ We’re sorry,  _ Kai,  _ is currently unavailable. After the tone, please record your message. _

Uruha hung up without leaving a voicemail. The automatic, robotic message only worsened his mood. He hit to redial without further thought. He needed to reach the human immediately. He couldn’t think of nothing else, he was desperate for help. 

After the fourth unanswered call, the genie grew livid. 

_ Ruki is unwell! How could he not care to pick up?! _

Before Uruha could decide whether he was going to throw the phone against a wall or redial Kai’s number again, the cellular device in his hand rang. This startled the genie and brought him out of his angered state. He was no longer seeing red, and he took a few deep breaths before looking at the lit up screen. A random phone number appeared as the phone vibrated in his hand. He didn’t want the ringing to disturb Ruki, so without a further thought he answered.

“Kai?” Uruha was so hell-bent on reaching him, he hoped the cook was calling him back. Not realizing that didn’t make sense since the number that called was not in Ruki’s contacts.

“Huh, that’s a weird way to say ‘hello.’” The voice on the other end chuckled. The deep baritone laugh harshly reminded Uruha of who it was.

“Reita?” The blonde immortal raised his eyebrows saying his friend’s name on instinct. This surprise call was too much of a coincidence. “Why are you calling?”

“Dude, you need to stop calling Kai. He’s working.” Reita’s airy laugh caused static to echo through the phone. Uruha could just picture the grin he was sporting on the other end.

“How did you know?” Reita was a genie, but not a psychic. 

“Kai texted me real quick.”

“Texted?” Uruha repeated the word. He desperately tried to keep everything his friend was saying straight in his head. Thoughts bounced all around his mind, he had to be sure he understood.

“Yes. He sent a message to my phone telling me you won’t stop bugging him.” Reita’s voice had a slight tease in it.

“Your phone?”

“What are you, a parrot?” The brunette genie on the other end laughed. “Kai gave me a phone to keep in touch when we’re apart. That’s what I used to call you.”

Uruha kept quiet. He felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. He had overreacted and been a nuisance to Kai. He realized that now. Chewing at his bottom lip, he tried to force the guilt and shame down. 

“You all caught up now?” Reita broke the silence with his mocking tone.

“Shut up.” Uruha shook his head and let out a breathy laugh. 

“Anyway, why you calling Kai so much? Don’t you have to take care of Ruki?” The nosebanded genie grew curious.

“That’s why! I don’t know what to do. Ruki doesn’t want any help, but he’s suffering and I can’t do anything!” He knew he sounded like a whiny child, but he didn’t care. Uruha was desperate for any help.

“Well, you can’t keep calling Kai when he doesn’t answer. We have our own lives you know.” The way Reita spoke, he was joking. Uruha knew this, but something about his friend’s words hurt him. He couldn’t figure out why though.

“Do you want me to come over?”

“Can you?” Uruha didn’t even have to think twice about it. If Reita could show up, he would feel much better.

“Give me a second and I will.”

The two hung up without a goodbye. Staring blankly at the phone in his hand, Uruha’s mind started to twist Reita’s words into unpleasant thoughts.

_ “We have our own lives.” _

There was a deeper meaning to that sentence than the brunette intended. And it stung. Somehow, it made Uruha feel like less of a being. 

But before he could think any further, a plume of blue and gold smoke flashed before him. Within seconds it was gone and Reita was left standing in its wake. The brunette genie stood with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. Uruha ran forward and hugged him, much to Reita’s own surprise. He let out a small “oh” when he took notice of how shaken the blonde genie was.

“Hey, buddy.” The immortal with the noseband patted his friend’s back when Uruha didn’t pull away. “Everything’s alright.”

Uruha didn’t break contact. He kept his head buried in Reita’s shoulder as he shook with fear. His entire body trembled at the thought of Ruki. He was helpless, he didn’t want to see anything bad happen. But the human didn’t want any help. It was frustrating. Uruha breathed out a long sigh and tightened his hug on his friend. The blonde held onto his friend so tightly, it was as if he worried he’d vanish on him. 

“So what’s the matter?” Reita ran his hand in soothing circle’s on his friend’s back.

“I’m useless….” A whimper escaped his quivering lips. Uruha thought he sounded pathetic, but couldn’t find any reason to care.

“No you’re not! Why would you say that?”

“I need help!” Uruha looked the fellow genie in the eyes. His vision blurred around the edges where he felt tears sting the corners of his eyes. “Ruki is sick and I can’t do anything!”

“He’s refusing magic?” The corner of Reita’s mouth twitched into a small smile. Uruha nodded his head and finally pulled away from the hug. His eyes were downcast as he looked at his feet and rubbed his arms. He looked completely lost.

“What’s the point of even having a genie if you don’t make a few wishes every now and then.” Reita chuckled. Though his attempt at humor made the blonde wince. The insecurities he thought were long buried still stung occasionally. Uruha did not need a reminder.

“Relax, I’m only joking.” The brunette patted Uruha on the shoulders when he took notice of his friend’s silence. “It seems to me like you’re gonna have to take care of him the old fashioned way.”

He confidently strolled away, leaving Uruha standing in the middle of the living room. Reita began to ruffle through random cabinets and cupboards in Ruki’s kitchen. He opened and closed doors mumbling to himself. He was being too noisy for Uruha’s liking. Ruki needed his sleep.

Uruha turned to shush his friend, but was interrupted by Reita’s goofy grin. He was standing in by the doorway with a can in each hand.

“Miso or chicken broth?”

* * *

 

Uruha closed the door behind him and walked into the living room. He plopped down on the couch beside Reita, who was flipping through TV channels. Becoming frustrated with daytime shows, the brunette grumbled and turned it off. He turned to his friend with a smile, seeing how exhausted Uruha looked. The blonde genie’s eyes were pink around the edges and he had dark bags under them. 

“You look tired.” Reita pointed out. It perplexed him, considering genies do not need sleep. They maybe feel some sluggishness from using large amounts of magic in a short period of time. That’s the closest he’s ever felt to tiredness. But Uruha hadn’t been using magic all day. 

Uruha nodded. 

“How’s he doing?” Reita nudged his head in the direction of Ruki’s bedroom.

“He was eating some soup, but his eyes kept closing.”

“He’s tired too. Just let him sleep it off. He’ll feel better tomorrow.”

Uruha nodded again, understanding his friend’s words. 

“It seems like you have everything under control. Not much you can do until Ruki decides he feels better. So why did you need Kai?” Reita crossed his arms and leaned his head against the back of the couch. His entire body relaxed casually as he spoke.

The taller genie folded his hands between his thighs and hunched his shoulders forward. He looked down at his legs and bit his bottom lip. He felt embarrassed about his earlier outburst. He inconvenienced his friends all because he panicked.

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I’m just curious.” Reita offered a smile to ease his friend’s nerves.

“I panicked. I didn’t know what to do.” Uruha mumbled. 

“It’s just a flu, Uru.”

“I know. But at the moment, he refused any magical help. I just couldn’t stand to see him suffer.”

“Humans get the flu all the time. Ruki will be fine.” The brunette’s voice carried a reassurance that Uruha needed to hear. But one word stuck out to him.

_ Humans. _ That’s right, Ruki was human while Uruha was not. The realization made the pit of his stomach feel heavier. Somehow, the difference between them had him shifting uncomfortably. He couldn’t possibly understand Ruki. They were different.There will always be that difference between them. Uruha was a genie who heavily relied on his magic. And Ruki was a self-sufficient mortal.

“Hey man, you alright?” Reita shifted closer to rest his hand on the blonde genie’s shoulder. 

“Um, yeah.” Uruha lied.

Reita was now sitting up completely and looking his friend dead in the eyes. Uruha doubted that he believed him.

“Let’s get your mind off of Ruki for a minute. So what do you normally do throughout the day?”

Uruha thought for a moment. 

“Uh….I watch TV.” The blonde’s response cause Reita to press his lips into a firm line. He flipped through the channels earlier and already determined there wasn’t anything worth watching at the moment.

“Anything else?”

Uruha chewed the inside of his cheek. He thought about his time when he was away from Ruki. When the small human worked, the television was always on while Uruha waited for him to come home. He’d watch the clock and memorize Ruki’s schedule for the week. He was always home in time for them to get some dinner. Some days it was takeout, others would be something simple they could cook at home. When he had enough energy, Ruki made sure to teach Uruha how to make a meal without using magic. The blonde genie wasn’t the worst cook in the world, but he wasn’t great. Each day he was getting better.

He’d spend hours cuddling the waiter on the couch or in their bed. Sometimes it would lead to more intimate activities. But he was sure Reita would rather be spared the details of that. But apart from his shared time with Ruki, Uruha didn’t really do anything. The thought made him feel ashamed of himself. He was so dependant on his human. 

“....wait for Ruki to come home.” A pathetic mumble was all Uruha could produce. He felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

He looked at his friend beside him; a fellow genie but someone who wasn’t reliant on his master. Reita smiled and joked even when Kai wasn’t around. He spends as much time away from his human as Uruha, but he had the appearance of someone who was independent. He had his own cell phone. So he probably crafted a life separate of Kai. Uruha could assume he didn’t spend his whole day inside an apartment.

“Hmm,” Reita knitted his brows together as he stared at his friend. “So I think you need a hobby.”

_ That’s great. Though it’s easier said than done.  _ Thought Uruha.

“You’ll feel better if you do something by yourself. You can’t rely on Ruki all the time.” Reita’s words stung with truth. Uruha thought this, but it hurt to hear it out loud. 

The genie sighed and stood up.

“I think I’ll go for a walk.” Uruha walked towards the front door, Reita following behind him.

“There you go. Get some fresh air instead of always being closed up in this stuffy apartment. Ruki will be alright until you get back.” 

Uruha turned to his friend. He was grateful for all the help Reita gave him. But now, he had a great deal to think about.

“Thank you.” The blonde smiled then opened the door. Reita vanished the moment Uruha stepped out of the apartment, leaving behind a small wisp of blue and gold smoke that dissipated quickly. He was probably going back to whatever it was he was doing before Uruha interrupted him.

* * *

 

It was warm outside, the sun contributing to the beautiful day. Everyone walking the streets smiled or laughed. The general vibe of the city was a happy one as the rainstorms appeared to finally have ceased. 

Though Uruha felt none of this joy. He tried to work through all the complicated thoughts and emotions going through his mind. 

Ruki just had a simple flu. He’d bounce back, even without magic. Then they can continue on like normal. Go on dates, watch movies, and spend time together. So why did this gnawing thought in the back of his mind keep bothering him? 

Ruki was a human. Uruha knew this since the first day they met. But today, it bothered him. It was like a slap to his face as he made the connection of the waiter’s mortality. 

Even though Reita tried to give Uruha some reassurance about Ruki’s well-being, the thought will never leave his mind. Ruki is a mortal. Now, he just has a simple flu. But someday, he might get something worse. And no amount of magic can prevent the inevitable. Someday Ruki will be gone, leaving Uruha all alone.

The genie wrapped his arms around himself, as he thought of Aoi. He couldn’t stand the thought of losing another loved one. Just when he was finally happy, the negative thoughts had to disturb him. Should he even talk to Ruki about this? He could only imagine that the waiter doesn’t want to talk about his own death. 

Uruha looked up and leaned against a wall. The tall buildings towering overhead blocked out some of the powder blue sky and wispy white clouds. He wondered if there was anything he could do. He was helpless to save Aoi. Maybe he could do something different with Ruki.

Or maybe he was just being selfish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter was a bit shorter than I normally do. 😅 Hope you enjoy it nonetheless.


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